Belga ‘worried’ over Rain or Shine’s top seed

MANILA, Philippines — Just because you’re lording over 7 other teams atop the playoff seedings doesn’t mean you can celebrate and be complacent. 

Rain or Shine big man Beau Belga knows all too well what it’s like to have one foot in and have the door slammed in your face. And that is exactly why he admits feeling “worried” despite his team clinching the top seed and the accompanying twice-to-beat advantage in the 2015 PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals. 

“Kinakabahan ako actually e. Kinakabahan ako in a sense na hindi madali yung kalaban sa ilalim (I’m worried actually. I’m worried in a sense that the opponent below us is no pushover),” Belga told reporters following Rain or Shine’s comfortable 119-99 victory over KIA on Sunday, March 22, allowing them to finish at 8-3 and the superior quotient.  

“Kahit na sabihin mong 8th spot, sa PBA ngayon wala nang mahina, wala nang malakas. Parang the same na yung capacity ng mga teams. Kaya medyo kabado ako.” 

(Even if they’re just on the 8th spot, in the PBA nowadays nobody is weak, nobody is strong. All the team’s capacities are the same. So I’m a little worried.)

Faint whispers of a playoff-meltdown past turned into a loud, bitter reminder for Belga as he recalled how Barangay Ginebra ousted a likewise twice-to-beat, second seed Rain or Shine this same conference two years ago.

Then eventual finalists Ginebra won the first game and Rain or Shine was permanently stymied.

“May karanasan na kami diyan e. Tinalo kami ng first game ng Ginebra nung kay Vernon Macklin, tapos second game namin parang hirap na kami umahon e. Hindi mo na alam kung ano gagawin mo e,” Belga explained. 

(We already experienced that. Ginebra beat us too in the first game with Vernon Macklin, then in the second game we could no longer recover. We didn’t know what to do anymore.) 

“It’s not gonna be an easy quarterfinals. It’s not gonna be an easy playoffs for each and every one na makakapasok sa top 8. Meron na kaming advantage na twice-to-beat kami. Pero yun pa yung mahirap e kasi kapag naisahan ka, yung momentum nasa kanila na e.” 

(We have the twice-to-beat advantage. But sometimes that’s tougher because if you lose one, the momentum shifts to your opponent.) 

(READ: Almazan, Belga in awe of 7-foot-3 Ramos’ size, bulk)

The proper mentality, Belga said, is to go for the kill right away and not give any hope to their foe.

But that won’t be so easy given that there is a strong likelihood the Painters will face the struggling but equally dangerous Philippine Cup champions San Miguel Beermen. 

The Beermen are currently 3-7 with one game left to play and are sitting at 11th place. But depending on how the remaining game dates unfold, they could squeeze their way into the quarterfinals as the 8th seed.

“Siguro different mindset na kami (We’ll probably have a different mindset),” Belga said, recalling how San Miguel torched Rain or Shine, 129-114, just over a week ago. 

“Tinalo kami sa eliminations, siguro naman hindi kami papayag na ma-dalawang sunod or tatlong sunod kami,” he explained how the team will likely respond if San Miguel does end up as their quarterfinals foe. 

(They beat us in the eliminations, so I don’t think we will just allow them to beat us two or 3 straight times.) 

“Tsaka pinaghirapan namin yung posisyon namin ngayon na nasa taas kami. Siguro naman hindi papayag kaming teammates ko na basta basta na lang matalo. Pride na rin usapan dito.” 

(And we worked hard to get our top position now. I don’t think my teammates will lose without a fight. We’re talking about pride here, too.) 

History is on the side of the Painters, however, as the last time they emerged as top seed in the eliminations they went on to win the franchise’s first championship in the 2012 Governors’ Cup. 

Belga hopes this is a sign of good things to come for a Rain or Shine squad that fell short in two conference finals last season.

“Isang extra motivation for us. Kanina binalikan namin, naalala namin na nag-number 1 kami noon dire-diretso nag-champion kami. So hopefully ito yung sign. One good sign for us to be a champion,” Belga said.

(It’s one more extra motivation for us. We looked back on it earlier and remembered that we were number 1 then and went all the way to become champions. So hopefully this is a sign.) 

“Makatikim ng championship kasi matagal na rin naman e. Tatlong beses na ko nag-compete for the championships laging bitin, laging short. Sabi ko naramdaman na namin yung sakit, tatlong beses na. Siguro gusto naman namin yung sarap at the end of the day.” 

(Just to have a taste of a championship, it’s been a while after all. I competed 3 times for the championships but we always falter, we always fall short. I said I already felt the pain, 3 times already. I’d like to feel the glory at the end of the day.) — Rappler.com