By ADRIAN STEWART CO

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters are gaining much-needed experience from winning close games ahead of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs.

According to Painters head coach Joseller “Yeng” Guiao, they needed games like their 119-112 win over TNT Tropang Giga on January 5, to toughen up his youth-laden roster.

“Maganda rin sa amin na matuto kaming manalo doon sa game na dikdikan hanggang huli,” Guiao said.

“We’re a young team, and we need games like these to toughen us up,” he said.

“We’re just trying to get ourselves prepared for the playoffs. And I think, with this win, we can look forward to the playoffs. So it’s really just a preparation for the tougher games ahead,” he added.

After dropping the first five games of the eliminations, the Painters have now won five consecutive matches, and are now assured of a place in the quarterfinals round with still a game left in the elimination round.

From those five victories, the Painters got a much-needed boost from reinforcement Demetrius Treadwell, as well as rookie center Keith Datu and sophomore winger Jhonard Clarito.

Also providing offense for the Elasto Painters are veteran center Beau Belga, Leonard Santillan, guards Andrei Caracut, Anton Asistio, Gian Mamuyac, Rey Nambatac, and Shaun Ildefonso.

The Elasto Painters will face also-ran Converge FiberXers in their final game on Sunday, January 14.

Guiao is looking forward to stretching their winning streak by going to the quarterfinals on a winning note.

“We’re just getting prepared. Naghanda lang kami para maganda pa rin ‘yung performance namin sa quarterfinals,” said Guiao, a seven-time PBA champion coach, two with the Painters.

“We will take our last game seriously. We want all the wins that we can string up. Also, we want to take off in our last game in the eliminations — take off on the right foot going to the quarterfinals,” he added./ASC, WDJ