A return trip to the Finals remains the immediate goal for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters after getting bounced in the semis for the third-straight conference.
“Short pa rin.”
This was how Rain or Shine veteran Beau Belga summed up the team’s PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup campaign, which ended with a Game 5 loss in the semifinals to TNT.
The Elasto Painters made the semis for the third straight time, but again failed to advance to their goal of the Finals after taking a second-straight 4-1 beatdown at the hand of the Tropang Giga.
Despite re-establishing themselves as a consistent Final Four team, Belga and the rest of the Elasto Painters are not satisfied with their finishes in recent conferences.
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“We’re like always there in the semis three times pero di pwedeng ganito lang. Di pwede yung ceiling namin hanggang semis lang. We have to be in the Finals,” said Belga after the 97-92 in loss to the Tropang Giga in Game 5.
Being a young team is no longer an excuse for Belga. After all, this local crew should theoretically have built experience after a string of deep playoff runs.
“Kasi hindi naman ito yung ano na lahat ng teams eh. Kami rin gusto namin mag Finals. Tulad ng sabi ni coach (Yeng Guiao), laging [excuse] namin mga bata,” he said.
“Pero sabi nya di naman na mga bata eh. Experience from the semis kailangan madala mo yun lalo mga masasakit na mga experiences.”
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While there’s a pinch of disappointment, Belga remains proud of what Rain or Shine has done but underscores the need to take this to another level next time.
“You’re still be proud of the group. But there’s still a disappointment because we’re eyeing the Finals for threes straight conferences already,” the former PBA champion said.
“Nung bago kami sa Rain or Shine, first time namin nag semis, nag Finals agad kami, nag champion agad kami. Yun yung motivation for us to do better this conference. It’s all Filipino. No import na katulad nung RHJ (Rondae Hollis-Jefferson)," he added, looking for a breakthrough in the season-ending Philippine Cup pegged to start next month.
(With reports from Gillian Trinidad, One Sports Digital)