Yeng Guiao rarely talks this way, unless something really special took place.

“Any team made up of softer material would have folded up,” Guiao said, moments after watching an 88-83 victory by Rain or Shine over Petron Blaze in the locker room for a commanding 3-1 lead over the Boosters in their PBA Philippine Cup Final Four series Monday night.

Guiao had every reason to be proud since the Elasto Painters first lost point guard Paul Lee in the second quarter and then Guiao himself late in the half before still going on to pound out the win against one of the league’s powerhouses at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

Ryan Arana worked doubly hard in Lee’s absence and helped keep the Painters in the game early as Rain or Shine trailed by double-digits several times before putting on the heat in the stretch to put a foot in the best-of-seven title series.

Beau Belga hit the game’s biggest triple – and his only basket of the night – with 1:53 remaining that gave the Painters an 87-82 lead which proved enough to hold off the Boosters the rest of the way and put Petron on the brink of an early vacation.

Guiao was thrown out after incurring a second technical foul, following Lee to the locker room after his prime point guard injured his right ankle in a freak accident with the courtside fence.

But not having their leader on the sideline and on the floor didn’t prove to be a hindrance for the Painters, who battled hard all game long and never lost their sights on the task at hand.

“The guys just never gave up, they won this game on their own. I had nothing to do with this win,” Guiao said. “They (Painters) lost Paul (Lee), they lost me, but they kept their fighting hearts.

Rain or Shine’s defense held the Boosters to a measly 14 fourth quarter points – and to only a free throw inside the last four minutes – as the Painters wrapped this one up, a bounce back to the 33-point thrashing they suffered in Game 3 just two nights ago.

“I also take my hat off to coach Caloy (Garcia, the Rain or Shine assistant) for not giving up to where I gave up,” Guiao said.

June Mar Fajardo scored 27 points and had 17 rebounds but was obviously fagged out in the stretch where he was challenged every time he gained a touch of the ball.

The 6-foot-10 center, the cornerstone of the Boosters, played a total of 44 minutes and was an easy prey for the Rain or Shine defense when the game was truly on the line.

Alex Cabagnot was also another big cog that Rain or Shine silenced, finishing with just five points on 1-of-9 shooting from the field. He was also kept out of the offensive rotation by Gabe Norwood in the endgame.

Jeff Chan and Jireh Ibanes scored 11 points each and Norwood chipped in with 10 for the Painters, who will avail of the first of three chances they have of returning to the Finals here on Friday also at the Big Dome in Cubao.

Last season, the Painters were swept in four games by Talk ‘N Text, but this Rain or Shine team has become far better with the addition of rookies Alex Nuyles and Raymond Almazan adding further depth.

Arwind Santos had 14 points and was the second Petron star with a double-double with 11 rebounds. But he, too, was silenced in the stretch with that only free throw coming at the 21.4 mark cutting the Rain or Shine lead to 87-83.