Photo credit: PBA

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters head coach Yeng Guiao took an unconventional approach in their matchup against Terrafirma Dyip on Wednesday, giving his rookies extended minutes with tougher games looming ahead.

The result? A 124-117 win, a spotless 7-0 record, and the first quarterfinals berth in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

Instead of leaning heavily on his veterans, Guiao trusted young guns like Arthur Roque, Vince Cuajao, and Joshua David to step up—and they delivered.

Roque led the rookie charge with 15 points, Cuajao knocked down three triples for all his scoring, and David made his presence felt defensively, particularly against Terrafirma’s top gunner Jerrick Ahanmisi.

Not chasing records, just staying consistent

The win also came with a historic shooting night, as Rain or Shine drained 22 three-pointers and even added a rare four-point shot—tying a league record.

But for Guiao, the numbers weren’t the focus.

“Hindi namin masyadong iniisip yung mga record. We just try to play our game,” he said, emphasizing consistency over milestones.

The decision to give rookies more exposure was intentional. With tougher matchups ahead, Guiao wanted his younger players battle-tested early.

“We tried to give our rookies some live game experience… and try to rest our regular guys for future battles,” he explained.

Eyes on a bigger prize

At 7-0, Rain or Shine has already secured a quarterfinals spot—but the team isn’t slowing down.

Guiao made it clear that their next goal is finishing in the top four to secure a twice-to-beat advantage.

“Seven wins assure you of a quarters spot. So puwede na kaming mag-isip ng twice-to-beat,” he said, noting that around nine wins should be enough to lock that edge.

That means the Elasto Painters are still hunting for at least two more victories—and every game from here on out matters.

Trusting the process—and the rookies

For Guiao, developing young talent remains a key part of the bigger picture.

He admitted the move was risky, but necessary.

“Sinusubukan ko sila… it’s always a risky move, but hindi ka aasenso kung hindi mo bibigyan ng pagkakataon,” he said.

The coach added that the rookies have been putting in the work behind the scenes, earning their minutes through effort in practice.

And in this game, they proved they belong.

“Nakikita ko sila sa practice, masisipag… they deserve a chance,” Guiao said. “Masaya ako sa performance nila.”

With momentum on their side and young players stepping up, Rain or Shine isn’t just winning—they’re building something deeper as the playoffs draw closer.