Guiao points at ‘bad shooting’ for losses at Jones Cup

Yeng Guiao admitted that Rain or Shine's string of losses to start its William Jones Cup campaign was a combination of bad shooting and adjustment to officiating.

“It's only now that our offense is clicking. I feel if we played this way at least during our first three games, we may have won at least one or two out of that,” Guiao said in Filipino.

Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao PBA IMAGE

“Somehow also we were able to adjust already to officiating here.”

The Elasto Painters lost by twin digit margins to the two Chinese Taipei teams to start their Jones Cup campaign on a bad note.

Guiao's charges managed to play a lot better in their next two games, but eventually fell short against United Arab Emirates (73-71) and Qatar (93-86).

It was only last Wednesday that Rain or Shine ended its string of heartbreaks after outlasting Iran, 98-90 in double overtime to chalk up its first victory.

Winning the tournament may be a stretch already at this point, but the fiery Rain or Shine coach hopes the team can come out with more victories to try to end their campaign on a strong note.

“We hope we can give a good fight in our remaining games, though we just have to accept the fact that there really is such a thing as a period of adjustment,” he explained.

“And the challenge to adjust quickly was something we weren't able to do.”

Rain or Shine will play Korean Basketball League champion Anyang KGC on Thursday afternoon, August 24.

The team then takes a one-day break, before swinging back to action on Saturday to take on Japan's under-22 squad, while the UC Irvine of California will serve as Rain or Shine's final opponent in the single-round robin tourney.

The team with the best record emerges as the Jones Cup champion.

Mighty Sports, mentored by Charles Tiu, ruled the 2019 edition behind former PBA imports Renaldo Balkman, Eugene Phelps, McKenzie Moore and Zach Graham.