Reset serves Painters well, with import eyeing unfinished business

Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao, armed with a brand new import, pressed the reset button on his staff’s Philippine Basketball Affiliation (PBA) Governors’ Cup marketing campaign after opening the match with 4 straight losses.

The consequence was a gentle success: A victory over lowly Blackwater, 122-117, Sunday evening.

“Coach mentioned it is a clear slate. 0-0 at this level. 1-0 now,” mentioned Greg Smith II, the unique selection for the 2016 Governors’ Cup who was only a hairline previous the peak restrict that season and was changed by Dior Lowhorn.

Smith is a substitute import this time round, is bought on the reset and desires his teammates to take benefit.

“[Guiao] mentioned that he needs to reset every little thing that occurred earlier than and you already know make this only a new alternative for everyone,” the American ahead informed reporters on his method out of Mall of Asia Enviornment.

Smith has been inactive for about half a yr after the beginning of his first baby. The final time he was aggressive was throughout ESPN’s The Basketball Match almost six months in the past. However an opportunity to lastly come by way of for Rain or Shine and straighten issues out was simply too onerous to move up on, he mentioned.

“I wasn’t significantly seeking to play quickly solely as a result of [my son] is so younger. However this chance was one thing I actually needed to do as a result of, like I mentioned, again in 2016, I needed to be right here and it is a place that I actually do really feel snug in. Now I’m right here. Hopefully, we might win some video games now.”

Smith’s return couldn’t be extra well timed for Guiao and his crew. At 1-4, the Painters nonetheless have six extra video games on their schedule and a lot of these are winnable.

Completely different activity

Up subsequent for 1-4 Rain or Shine is Terrafirma, adopted by Magnolia, NLEX, after which Phoenix. The rugged crew then goes up in opposition to NorthPort earlier than ending the elimination section in opposition to San Miguel Beer.

Smith is aware of that it’s a very totally different activity having to steer a staff that’s making an attempt to show round its marketing campaign versus serving to it to annex a second PBA crown—his authentic mission from almost seven years in the past.

However he was simply as agency in saying that each duties pack the identical sort of stress.

“I nonetheless suppose it’s the identical sort of stress. It is a proud program. I do know Gabe [Norwood] is a champion, Beau [Belga] is a champion. These guys want to win,” Smith mentioned. “I believe it’s the identical sort of stress as if I got here in 2016: To go forward and attempt to get us into the playoffs and make one thing occur.”

“I really feel like—particularly with the locals that now we have, that if we will get there [to these playoffs], we will beat any person and make it a recreation at the least,” he mentioned. INQ

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