RANGED against a mighty Bay Area side, Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao had an idea on how to topple their foes — play with two imports.
If only that ploy is allowed.
“Dapat sana, binigyan man lang tayo ng dalawang import,” Guiao said. “Para gumanda.
Kasi kung tambakan tayo, singkwenta, trenta. Pahiya tayo sa liga natin. We’ll try to stay there as long as we can.”
The Dragons try to show the door on the Painters when they square off today in the quarterfinals of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
The curtain-raiser is set at 3 p.m., with eliminations pacesetter and twice-to-beat Bay Area raring to get the job done and forge a semifinals showdown with either defending champion San Miguel Beer or Converge.
Magnolia, which wound up with a 10-2 mark after the elims for second and also armed with a win-once incentive, faces seventh-ranked Phoenix in the other game at 5:45 p.m.
The well-rested Dragons will go into battle on a high, having scored a 140-88 demolition of TNT in their last eliminations outing last Nov. 23 to finish with a 10-2 card.
Bay Area is set to bring back 6-foot-10 import Andrew Nicholson in lieu of Myles Powell, who reportedly suffered an ankle injury in practice. Nicholson, who saw action for four games for the Dragons in the elims, will combine with Hayden Blankley, Songwei Zhu, Glen Yang, and Kobey Lam.
The Elasto Painters trounced NLEX 110-100 in a knockout tiff last Sunday for the No. 8 slot in the playoffs.
Reinforcement Ryan Pearson, Rey Nambatac, Anton Asistio, Leonard Santillan, Gian Mamuyac, Andrei Caracut, and Gabe Norwood will be counted upon by Rain or Shine.
The Dragons ripped the Painters 120-87 when they first met last Nov. 11.
“We achieved iyong goal namin na makarating sa twice-to-beat,” Hotshots strategist Chito Victolero said. “The next goal is iyong makarating sa next step which is the semis.”
Magnolia is aching to do an encore to a 106-90 triumph over Rain or Shine seven days ago and advance to the semis opposite the winner of the Ginebra-NorthPort series.
The Hotshots will pin their hopes on import Nick Rakocevic, Calvin Abueva, Jio Jalalon, Mark Barroca, Paul Lee, and Ian Sangalang.
The Fuel Masters, coming off a 135-84 drubbing of Terrafirma last Nov. 26 to end the eliminations with a 6-6 slate, will rely on reinforcement Kaleb Wesson, Tyler Tio, Javee Mocon, RJ Jazul, Jason Perkisn, and Encho Serrano.
Magnolia downed Phoenix 100-90 in their elims tussle last Nov. 12.
