The Elasto Painters are looking to improve on their 8th place finish in the Commissioner's Cup, and they have amped up their practice with the addition of a high-flying reinforcement.
Things are looking up for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
A couple of days after resuming practice and on the same day it resigned James Yap, ROS formally welcomed import Mike Qualls, who practiced for the first time with the team. The Elasto Painters posted on their official Instagram page a video clip of said practice, which saw ROS in a scrimmage — and with Qualls and Yap in the same team.
If the video is any indication, the Elasto Painters look like an energized bunch, with Qualls his usual energetic and high-flying self. The 28-year-old American was already doing Mike Qualls things in said scrimmage, being active, getting to the basket, blocking shots, and even dishing off to Yap for a triple. And it appears the former Arkansas Razorback has established a palpable rapport with his ROS teammates, looking comfortable and at home in his new team.
The 6-2 Qualls is among the returning imports for the upcoming Governors' Cup, having first played for the Northport Batang Pier in the 2019 Governors' Cup. In 11 games, the well-traveled veteran averaged 32.1 points, 12.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.8 blocks in the eliminations, as the Batang Pier finished 8th to sneak into the quarterfinals. Qualls then helped Northport upend the top-seeded NLEX Road Warriors, but could not overcome the Justin Brownlee-led Barangay Ginebra in the semis.
Incidentally, Qualls’s current team finished 8th in the Commissioner’s Cup, and back-doored its way to the quarters by beating NLEX in a playoff — only to be booted out by the Bay Area Dragons. But with Qualls in tow and Yap back at least this conference, the Elasto Painters might have something good brewing next conference. And it looks like they are right on schedule.