After a dream performance, the dream has been realized.
Rain or Shine, in one of the gutsiest stands seen from an underdog in the modern PBA time, last night upended B-Meg in a Game 7 to remember to annex the Governors’ Cup before a crowd of almost 22,000 at the Araneta Coliseum.
Up against a most dangerous foe in a rubber match, the Elasto Painters showed guts and determination belying their young years to post an 83-76 victory that snapped a six-year wait for a long overdue title.
It was a victory carved out on a night very few gave the Painters a chance, having lost the previous two games of the series to give B-Meg the chance to become just the second team in league history to ever erase a 1-3 Finals deficit to win.
But the Painters got the right start, came in with the right defensive ploy and never lost their heads even in the most trying times to become the third different champion of the just-concluded 37th season.
“We’d like to thank all the people who rooted, cheered, prayed for and supported us,” Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao, who also had a six-year title-less spell snapped, said.
“It was a dream that they had nurtured for six years and it came into fruition today,” he added after becoming just the fourth coach in the history of the league to win championships with three different teams.
After guiding Swift and Red Bull to championships, Guiao is now in the company of Grand Slam winners Baby Dalupan and Tommy Manotoc and outgoing coach Chot Reyes.
Rain or Shine also became the first team in league history to win a Game 7 of a championship series in its first try, in the process becoming just the fourth squad to win a title in its first championship stint after Royal Tru-Orange, Red Bull under Guiao and Coca-Cola.
“It’s just the big hearts and determination of a young bunch of guys,” said Guiao, who also became a prophet of sorts after boldly declaring that they would win the series even after losing Rookie of the Year Paul Lee in the waning minutes of Game 2.
“I don’t know how we beat a team like B-Meg, with a hall-of-famer coach, great organization with experience and depth,” Guiao said.
“I’m just happy, after six years for the franchise and for myself, I know how it feels to be a champion again.”
Jamelle Cornley scored 20 points and had 14 rebounds, and Jeff Chan and Gabe Norwood provided ample support with 16 and 15 points, respectively.
Rain or Shine did earn a break early in the fourth period when B-Meg import Marcus Blakely fouled out.
The Painters actually blew leads of as many as 13 points in the first period but only trailed once, 51-50, at the start of the third period when James Yap hit a long jumper.
Rain or Shine attacked at every given time, gang-rebounded with impunity and saw the fruits of its labor as the Painters won the battle off the boards for the first time in the series, 53-49.
Yap went on to lead all B-Meg shooters with 23 points and Blakely still had 15 and 16 boards. But his absence at crunch time told heavily on the Llamados, who couldn’t find other heroes in the stretch.
