Beau Belga toyed with a triple double.
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters have been playing like a well-oiled machine as of late, and it’s none more evident in the 131-108 win over the Blackwater Bosing in the PBA On Tour on Sunday.
The Elasto Painters were simply in sync, flaunting crisp ball movement that would naturally remind one of the Golden State Warriors or the Tim Duncan-era San Antonio Spurs.
That’s why it was no longer surprising to see the team finish with 40 assists, which followed up the 34 dimes the Elasto Painters collected in a 118-112 thriller against NorthPort Batang Pier last Wednesday.
When asked about it after the match at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City, Beau Belga had a simple explanation.
“Siguro we’re not hesitating on our shots. If you’re free, ang rules naman ni coach (Yeng Guiao) it’s either you pass, you shoot, or drive,” said Belga, whose team will represent the Philippines in the William Jones Cup in Taiwan next month.
“Whenever malilibre kami, ititira namin. Good thing sa mga teammates namin, ‘yung kumpyansa andun talaga. Whenever nakakakita ng kaunting espasyo tinitira nila.”
Belga himself had a quarter of the team’s total assist to go with 8 points and 8 rebounds.
Was there a conscious effort to be a facilitator playing for a Rain or Shine squad oozing with youth?
“Sinasabi ko sa sarili ko na marami kaming pwedeng tumira, so I will draw the defense sa’kin tapos find the open guy,” he said. “Good thing nire-return ng mga teammates ko, shinu-shoot nila mga pasa ko.”
He was spot-on.
The 11 players Guiao fielded scored at least 6 points, with Leonard Santillan going off for 24 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the three-point area.
He shot a couple of those long bombs in the third period, where the Elasto Painters turned a tight game into a breakaway.
Andrei Caracut and Gian Mamuyac combined for 35 points as Rain or Shine now tots an 8-2 win-loss record in the preseason tourney, with its last game coming on Friday against the Meralco Bolts.
(GM)