ROS ready for grind

MANILA, Philippines — Rain or Shine enters the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals as the league’s hottest team with six wins in a row and coach Yeng Guiao knows breaking the streak will mean exiting the conference for good.

The Elasto Painters are in a win-or-go-home predicament facing San Miguel Beer that enjoys a twice-to-beat advantage. The duel is set at the PhilSports Arena today. A win by San Miguel eliminates ROS and advances the Beermen to the best-of-five semifinals against the survivor of the Ginebra-NorthPort tussle.

ROS ended the elims with a 112-111 squeaker over Converge last Sunday. Guiao rested his starters down the stretch and left it to the shock troopers to sink or swim. “We wanted to get everybody into the feeling of being able to compete at the playoff level,” said Guiao. “Our objective was to treat it as a rehearsal for the playoffs.” Guiao rotated 16 players to get them ready for San Miguel.

ROS is the last “independent” to win a PBA title and that was in the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup where its import was Pierre Henderson Niles. Guiao said Niles was the first import to average less than double figure points and win a championship. He said ROS’ current import Tree Treadwell has a similar style. Treadwell doesn’t demand the ball, hasn’t taken a single three-point shot and is content to rebound, set screens, pass and defend. He’s averaging 19.6 points, 18.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists. “Our first import (DaJuan Summers) was good but not a fit for us,” said Guiao. “Tree is just what we need, an inside operator.”

Guiao’s philosophy of equal opportunity is the basis of playing a deep rotation. “Guys need to earn their minutes and you don’t earn your minutes sitting on the bench,” he said. Guiao has started 16 of his 17 players, including rookies Keith Datu and Adrian Nocum. ROS’ oldest player James Yap, 41, has played in three games and against Converge, hit 3-of-3 triples. “We’re finding ways for James to contribute,” he said. “He’s not as athletic or as quick as before but his skillset is still intact.” Yap is hitting 71.4 percent from beyond the arc.

It won’t be easy taking down San Miguel and ROS has to do it twice to make it to the semis. But Guiao isn’t fazed. ROS got off to a 0-5 start but has since rebounded. If ROS survives today, it will be winner-take-all against San Miguel next.