PBA: Why Rain or Shine is the ideal of how to build a team, according to Norman Black

After his team bowed out of the Commissioner's Cup semifinals on Tuesday, Meralco coach Norman Black was all praises for Rain or Shine's team development as the ideal in building a PBA franchise.

The Elasto Painters, a one-time champion and seasoned contender every conference, swept the Bolts 3-0 in their best-of-five series and advanced to the finals for the fifth time in franchise history.

Black said their consistent performance is due to their steady recruitment of young and talented players who constantly improve under coach Yeng Guiao's tutelage.

"They have a lot of first round picks that they have gathered over the years. Those guys are starting to reap benefits for them as far as performance is concerned," said the coach.

Paul Lee, Gabe Norwood, Chris Tiu, and Jervy Cruz are some of the top draftees who now carry Rain or Shine through their successful playoff campaigns every season.

"This is a young man's game. It's what it comes down to. You can see how Rain or Shine has built their team - they built their team based on young guys," Black said.

The coach admitted that he wanted to do the same thing with Meralco, saying that young players will grow and be around the league for a longer period of time. Rain or Shine, he said, will likely be a powerhouse team in the next few years.

"They're gonna be around for a while.  I think that's a format a lot of teams will want to follow," Black said. - JST, GMA News