Monday, September 08, 2008 Rain or Shine team in focus
PBA fans get a glimpse of the new-look Rain or Shine team featuring the electrifying Fil-Am pair of Gabe Norwood and Solomon Mercado as the league holds its annual Pre-Season Tournament beginning next week.
The Elasto Painters are among the seven teams seeing action in the off-season event set September 14-28 and to be played in non-traditional playing venue within Metro Manila and Luzon.
Reigning Philippine Cup champion Sta. Lucia, Fiesta Cup runner up Air21, and Talk 'N Text are skipping the two-week tournament owing to the team's previous commitments outside of the country.
But Norwood, the year's top rookie pick, Mercado, and the rest of Batch 08 are expected to make up for the three team's absence as they finally get to strut their stuff and get a sample of what PBA brand of play is all about.
The 6-foot-5 Norwood and Mercado, acquired by Rain or Shine in a five-player trade with Alaska Aces including last year's no. 1 pick Joe DeVance a day after the Draft, are the new face of the revitalized Elasto Painters seeking to turn their fortunes around this season.
How the two highly-touted freshmen fit in at Rain or Shine's nucleus of Jay-R Reyes, Rob Wainwright, Ryan Arana, Jireh Ibanes, Mark Isip, Froilan Baguion, and Joey Mente will also be highlighted in the two-group, single round robin eliminations.
Bracketed in Group A with Rain or Shine are Barangay Ginebra and Alaska and Purefoods, while Group B is composed of Coca-Cola, San Miguel, and Red Bull.
The teams that topped their respective groups will then meet in the one-game championship.
The Red Bull Barakos and San Miguel Beermen start hostilities on September 15 (4 p.m.) at the PUP gym in Sta. Mesa, then Rain or Shine takes on Alaska on September (4 p.m.) 17 at the Lyceum University, before Purefoods and Barangay Ginebra cap the first week of the meet with a 4 p.m. game at San Beda on September 20.
Alaska plays Purefoods at the Arellano University gym on September 22 (2 p.m.), followed by the Coca-Cola-Red Bull tussle at the Jose Rizal University on September 23 (4 p.m.), Barangay Ginebra vs. Alaska at the Emilio Aguinaldo gym on September 23 (4 p.m.), Rain or Shine opposite Alaska on September 24 (4 p.m.), Purefoods vs. Rain or Shine at the Rizal Technological University on September 25 (4 p.m.), San Miguel against Coca-Cola on September 26 at the Olivarez gym (4 p.m.) and finally, Ginebra-Rain or Shine in Cavite City on September 27 (5 p.m.).
On the 28th, the final will be played at the newly built Ynares Sports Center in Pasig at 4 p.m.
