RAIN or Shine top honchos Terry Que and Raymund Yu are pretty confident this coming season will be different from the previous two.

Both believe the franchise, a perennial tail-ender the past four conferences, now has the tools to compete against the league’s elite.

In its desire to make a statement this coming 2008-09 season, Rain or Shine turned down several tempting offers to trade its draft rights on the No.1 pick that enabled them to net Gabe Norwood, a member of RP Team that finished ninth in the International Basketball Federation (Fiba)-Asia Olympic qualifier last year in Tokushima, Japan.

Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia said the arrival of Norwood, the electrifying Filipino-American, brings new hope for the team that clearly lacks the certified leader to keep the unit together.

“Improvement is a must,” conceded Yu after Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Renauld “Sonny” Barrios announced Rain or Shine’s No.1 pick overall during the Annual Draft.
“’Yung positions na mahina kami napunan na. So we’re hopeful we’ve already got a competitive lineup,” Que proclaimed.

As if to show they mean business, the three-year-old expansion club traded six-foot-seven Joe Devance—the team’s No.1 pick overall the previous year—and two future draft rights to Alaska for smart Filipino-Am guard Solomon Mercado and veteran forward Eddie Laure.

“I’m bringing in my work ethic and, hopefully, I can help the team get wins,” said Norwood, a 23-year-old former George Mason University stalwart.

Whether Norwood is up to the task will be in focus when the league holds its annual preseason tournament beginning next week.

The Elasto Painters are among the seven teams seeing action in the off-season event set from September 14 to 28 and to be played in nontraditional playing venues 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 because of the team’s previous commitments outside of the country.

But Norwood and Mercado—the new faces of the revitalized Elasto Painters who seek to turn their fortunes around this season—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.

How the two highly touted freshmen fit in to Rain or Shine’s nucleus of Jay-R Reyes, Rob Wainwright, Ryan Arana, Jireh Ibañes, 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, Alaska and Purefoods, while Group B is composed of Coca-Cola, San Miguel and Red Bull.

The teams that top their respective group will then meet in a one-game championship.

The Red Bull Barakos and San Miguel Beermen start hostilities on September 15 (4 p.m.) at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Gym in Santa Mesa, then Rain or Shine takes on Alaska on September 17 (4 p.m.) 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 match 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.

As per approved by the PBA board in its recent meeting in Macau, each team is allowed to submit a maximum of 20 players in its roster, comprised of its regular players, rookies and free agents.

Only 18 players per team, however, will be allowed to play.

Likewise, unsigned free agents may play for just a single team during the tournament.

Touch returns

FLUSHING MEADOWS, New York—With Tropical Storm Hanna bearing down, Roger Federer regained his mastery of tennis Saturday to earn his fifth-consecutive trip to the US Open final and silence talk about his impending downfall—at least temporarily.

Paralympic Games fires off

BEIJING—The Paralympic Games began Sunday in Beijing, a day after China staged a lavish opening ceremony for an event it sees as another chance to cement its role as a global player to an international audience.

Rain or Shine staring at a better season

RAIN or Shine top honchos Terry Que and Raymund Yu are pretty confident this coming season will be different from the previous two.

Both believe the franchise, a perennial tail-ender the past four conferences, now has the tools to compete against the league’s elite.

Amateur basketball godfather Romero is new PBL chairman

DR. Michael “Mikee” Romero, a proven winner in both sports and business, was voted chairman of the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) by acclamation during the Board of Governors’ meeting recently at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Manila.

Two-in-a-row for State University Pep Squad

THE University of the Philippines (UP) Pep Squad wanted to have fun in the annual extravaganza called the 2008 Samsung-University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Cheerdance Competition.

No Go, no problem, says Dayrit’s camp

CELSO DAYRIT would still seek the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) presidency despite losing former ally Go Teng Kok to the camp of incumbent POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. Triathlon chief Tom Carrasco said on Sunday that Dayrit’s group remains upbeat of clinching the POC leadership despite the decision of Go to shift allegiance to Cojuangco.  

Carabeo, Lao shock vets to win World Cup qualifier

JEFF CARABEO and Kim Lao, fresh faces in Philippine bowling, scored major reversals yesterday to win the 2008 Bowling World Cup national title at SM Mall of Asia and earn the right to represent the Philippines in the international finals in Hermosillo, Mexico.

Bleachers’ Brew: The other side

Officiating is never easy and boy, is that an understatement. I tried it one time and sucked at it. Never again. Having said that, does that make me a more sympathetic person toward the zebras? In a way, but not necessarily so because the men who blow the whistles do it for a living and have done so for years. Is there room for error?