Feb 22, 2018

Well-rested Rain or Shine takes on skidding Alaska

Rain or Shine resumes chase of a Top Two finish as it plunges back into action after a 12-day respite, taking on Alaska Milk in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday.

The Elasto Painters hope to have done their job during their long break as they expect a tough showdown with the Aces in their 7 p.m. tussle.

The break was lull before the storm for the E-Painters.

They will be the busiest team in the final week of the single-round-robin eliminations, tackling three formidable opponents in Alaska Milk, San Miguel Beer then Barangay Ginebra.

A sweep of those games will hand them a Top Two finish and a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals.

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The E-Painters, however, are not about to look far ahead especially as they're ranged Friday against a team raring to check a sorry skid.

Though out of the fight for the Top Two, the Aces (6-4) need to avoid further slide to seal a spot in the best-of-three quarterfinals.

Alaska dropped its last two games against San Miguel Beer and NLEX while Rain or Shine won its last three against NLEX, Meralco and Magnolia.

"Rain or Shine is playing some of their best basketball right now and they have had almost two weeks to prepare for us. I am sure they are ready and we will have to defend their excellent offense and cover a lot of ground defensively if we want to win," said Alaska coach Alex Compton.

The break came at a perfect time for the E-Painters, giving new trade recruits Sidney Onwubere and Kris Rosales some time to adapt into the ROS system. Rain or Shine acquired the two players plus a future draft pick from TNT KaTropa in exchange for Jericho Cruz.

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It's highly unlikely that Gilas players Gabe Norwood, Calvin Abueva and Carl Bryan Cruz will be able to catch up the game coming from their Australia trip.
So both teams have some holes to fill in. SB)