Yeng Guiao: ‘We will win this series’

AKTV/Joser Dumbrique

Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao made a bold declaration shortly after his team lost Game Two of the Governors’ Cup finals to B-MEG, 85-80.

“We will win this series with or without Paul Lee,” said Guiao, who star rookie re-injured his shoulder late in the match.

“We lost our best player and we’re not really sure about the status. But from the looks of it, it looks quite serious.”

Despite this, Guiao made the guarantee that the Elasto Painters will defeat the Llamados.

“I still feel good about this game, but things didn’t fall our way,” said Guiao, who added that his team would not make any excuses.

Apart from the injury to Lee, who scored 11 points and dished out seven assists before being stretchered out of the game, Rain or Shine also drew a quiet game from Jamelle Cornley, who was named Best Import prior to the game. Cornley finished with 18 points after scoring 25 in the opener.

Best wishes for Lee

The B-MEG camp, meanwhile, had words of sympathy for Lee, the leading candidate for the Rookie of the Year award.

“We hope Paul Lee is OK,” said B-MEG coach Tim Cone. “It pains to see him with his shoulder popping.”

Llamados superstar James Yap echoed his coach’s sentiments.

“Siyempre kapwa player natin yan, ayaw nating may masasaktan,” said Yap who, like Lee, is an alumnus of University of the East.

But both men admitted that Lee’s loss would be a big blow to Rain or Shine.

“Hindi man maganda sabihin, pero malaking bagay siya sa team and malaking kawalan, kaya mas gagaan yung trabaho namin kapag wala siya,” said Yap.

“With Lee out, it means that we will become an instant favorite in the series,” Cone said. “I don’t know the gravity of his injury, but I don’t want to see him out, honestly. This series is for the fans and for the league. We don’t want to win because someone gets hurt or knocked down.”

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