Rain or Shine plays first finals series, faces B-Meg at start of Governors’ Cup c’ships

Game today

Araneta Coliseum

6 p.m.- B-Meg vs. Rain or Shine

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters get their baptism of fire as finalists as they square off with the seasoned B-Meg Llamados at the start of the best-of-seven championship series of the 37th PBA Governors’ Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

As a first timer in the finals, the Painters are considered the underdogs in the series although the Llamados have not beaten them in their two meetings this conference.

“We’re the underdogs kahit nauna kami sa Finals. Pero malay natin makatsamba kami,” Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao told pba.ph.

Rain or Shine, which is in the finals for the first time since joining the league in 2006, got a needed rest after the Llamados had to play a playoff against the Barangay Ginebra Kings last Friday. B-Meg barely escaped the Kings, 74-72, to advance to the finals.

The Llamados are gunning for back-to-back titles after ruling the Commissioner’s Cup.

While observers tagged the Painters as the underdogs, B-Meg head coach Tim Cone thinks Rain or Shine poses a big problem for his team.

“We really have a problem matching up with Rain or Shine especially in the backcourt. Our guards are smaller,” said Cone. “We have to get good performances from Josh Urbiztondo, Mark Barroca and Jonas Villanueva if we are to put up a good fight.”