PBA: Rain or Shine ready to go the distance against perennial tormentor TNT

Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao believes their hopes to beat rival TNT in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup semifinals rests on whether they can drag the series on until a deciding Game 7.

The veteran tactician stressed the Elasto Painters are ready for a full seven grueling games, saying a lengthy series favors his side.

"We’re hoping we can push this series to a long series," Guiao said.

"Gusto naming umabot ng seven games. We’re physically and mentally prepared to play seven games in this series. We designed our management of our minutes to be able to still be fresh in a Game 7. That’s what we're hoping, na makarating doon."

[We want it to reach seven games. We’re physically and mentally prepared to play seven games in this series. We designed our management of our minutes to be able to still be fresh in a Game 7. That’s what we're hoping, to reach that point.]

Guiao said they will still have to take it one game at a time as they can't let TNT find ways to repeat what transpired the two previous times the two teams met in the playoffs.

TNT and Rain or Shine are facing off in the postseason for the third straight time, and history favors the Tropang Giga with TNT beating the Elasto Painters in the Season 48 Philippine Cup quarterfinals and Season 49 Governors' Cup semifinals.

Both occasions saw TNT running away with dominant series wins, notching a 2-1 win in their Philippine Cup QF encounter and pulling off a masterful 4-1 triumph during their Governors' Cup semis duel.

"For now, isa-isa muna. Ito nga, we won one that means we’re going to have at least five games. The longer it takes, the better for us. ‘Yun lang ang chance namin siguro," Guiao added.

"Kapag naging short series ‘to, sa kanila na ‘to e."

[For now, one at a time. Here, we won one so that means we’re going to have at least five games. The longer it takes, the better for us. I think that's where we'll have a chance... If this becomes a short series, this will belong to them.]

—JMB, GMA Integrated News