Game Today
(Araneta Coliseum)
Finals (Game 1)
6 p.m. — Rain or Shine vs B-Meg
 
Those not tough enough need not apply. The call to arms couldn’t have come any clearer.
The swagger of a proud new kid on the block will be pitted against the bravado of a jaded champion warrior when Rain or Shine and B-Meg take on those roles, respectively, as bull-strong resolve takes centerstage in Game 1 today of the Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup best-of-seven Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Elasto Painters made it here first due to a nearly machine-like management by coach Yeng Guiao based on a strong start while Llamados mentor Tim Cone had to dig deep into the team’s winning tradition under his realm to make it this far.
And that clash between the new and the old starts today at 6 p.m. with Game 1.
“Those who are not tough need not apply. That’s how tough these Finals will be,” B-Meg coach Tim Cone predicted how the series will turn out.
Rain or Shine is in its first Finals stint since joining the league in 2006 as the Welcoat Dragons, a pedigreed squad which ruled the Philippine Basketball League with six titles from 1996 to 2006.
Team owner Raymund Yu even recalled those times and averred that “the last time we had a championship was with Jay Washington (now with Petron) and Leo Najorda (now with Barako Bull). But that was in 2004, that was a long, long time ago.”
As such, Guiao admits that this newbie would be “just a small team with a small organization” in the big-time Finals scenario.
“But nothing could be more satisfying than to make the Finals with dedicated team owners. Kaya naman pala kahit isang maliit na team na naniniwala na dito sa ligang ito, maipapakita mo yung buti ng mga tao behind the organization. It’s very satisfying to me,” said Guiao.
But Guiao, the Pampanga vice governor with a sterling record of five PBA titles shared between times with Swift and Red Bull, would be the old, tested anchor that Rain or Shine would lean on in this tough test of team maturity against the Llamados.
“Baka makapuwing, maka-tsamba. Pero laban lang lagi. Nagpapasalamat kami sa lahat ng sumusuporta sa team. Baka makatsamba pa ng championship. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of the organization,” he added.
Guiao may have called it right that his Elasto Painters would be longshot bets against the Llamados, winners of the previous Commissioner’s Cup and a dedicated lot committed to fulfilling Cone’s pledge to make the B-Meg the flagship championship team from among the teams San Miguel Corp. own to include Barangay Ginebra and Petron Blaze.
The Llamados are the Commissioner’s Cup champions, just a conference after Cone made that dramatic move from longtime team Alaska at the start of this 37th season.
Moreover, Cone has been a proven tactician and is harking to prove more. The former 5th grader from Baler Elementary School in Quezon has had his sights firm on tying or even surpassing the legendary coach Baby Dalupan’s 15 PBA titles.
The Commissioner’s Cup crown earlier this year was the Oregon-born mentor’s 14th but this series would be his history-setting moment.
“My two goals in life are catching Baby Dalupan and putting my kids through college,” he had said.
Cone is not about to let experience give way to the folly of a first-time Finals bet. No way will he allow Rain or Shine to stand in the way of his bid to make PBA history.