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The Singapore Slingers will host the 2010 Singapore Challenge Series this Sunday, September 5^th, by playing the Philippine Basketball Association’s (PBA) Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. Tip off is at 4PM at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, a professional basketball team in the PBA, who recently finished the 2009-2010 PBA Fiesta Conference with a 9-9 record, bowed out of the Playoffs after stretching B-Meg Derby Ace to a Best of 5 series in the Quarterfinals. With their heads up and having a positive outlook in the coming 2010-2011 PBA All-Filipino Conference, the Elasto Painters boosted their roster with the addition of veteran forwards Doug Kramer, Paolo Bugia, and John Ferriols. They also drafted PBA-ready rookies in Josh Vanlandingham and RJ Jazul.

Coming back for another tour of duty are guards TY Tang, Ryan Arana, Sol Mercado, and Jireh Ibanes. Completing the Elasto Painters’ front line are Jay-R Reyes, Jervy Cruz, Eddie Laure, Jeff Chan, and Gabe Norwood.

Meet the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters

A team with a winning pedigree and a positive attitude is a recipe for success for this young PBA team. Having joined the PBA in the 2006-2007 season, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (formerly Welcoat Dragons) was a household name while playing in the semi-professional Philippine Basketball League (PBL).  The Elasto Painters have finished in at least the Quarterfinals phase in the last 4 conferences under the tutelage of Head Coach Caloy Garcia.

Filipino-Americans and best buddies Gabe Norwood and Sol Mercado lead this run and gun team. Norwood (also called “The President”, for his resemblance to US President Barack Obama) played for the George Mason Patriots in the US NCAA, having made a Final Four run in 2006. They lost to eventual 2006 NCAA Champs, the Florida Gators. Gabe made waves in the Philippines by initially playing for the Philippine National Team in the 2007 William Jones Cup in Taiwan. He was drafted 1^st overall in 2008 by Rain or Shine. Gabe was also the 2008-2009 PBA Rookie of the Year. He posted 11.2 points per game, 5.6 rebounds per game, 3.6 assists per game, and 1.3 steals per game in the recent PBA conference.

Sol Mercado was acquired by Rain or Shine in a draft day trade with the Alaska Aces, who drafted him 5^th overall. Mercado, who went to Biola University in California, played for the Harbour Centre Batang Pier in the PBA before bringing his struts to the pros. He lead the team in points with 18.3 a game in the previous conference.

Manning the middle for Rain or Shine is Jay-R Reyes, a college standout while playing for the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons in the Universities Athletic Association in the Philippines (UAAP). He was elevated from the PBL team to the pros. Jay-R lead the team in rebounds with 6.9RPG, while adding 8.1PPG. Another alumni from the UP Fighting Maroons is spitfire guard Jireh Ibanes. Ibanes was drafted 11^th overall in 2006 by the Elasto Painters.

The De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers and the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles rivalry can also be seen in daily practices.  TY Tang and Ryan Arana were teammates at DLSU in the UAAP (and Harbour Centre Batang Pier in the PBL), while Paolo Bugia and Doug Kramer played for the Ateneo. Arana and Tang were both drafted by the Elasto Painters 12^th overall – Ryan in 2007, and TY in 2008.

Arana is well known for his toughness and intensity. He averaged 8.7PPG and 3.0RPG in the last conference. Tang, on the other hand, is the chief reliever of Sol Mercado at the point guard spot. He hit 35.3% from the three point line in the previous conference.

Bugia was recently signed as a free agent, having played for the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in the previous conference. Kramer was acquired through a trade with Air21 Express. Doug was explosive in his last game with Air21, posting 17 points, and 17 rebounds. He finished the conference with averages of 6PPG and 5RPG.

Former MVPs of the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA) John Ferriols (1998) and Eddie Laure (2001) fill the forward slots, are joined by another MVP of the UAAP, Jervy Cruz (University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, 2007). Cruz was drafted 5^th overall in the 2009 PBA draft. He logged a double-double in his PBA debut with 14 points and 17 rebounds. Cruz had averages of 5.9PPG, 4.3RPG while averaging 15.9 minutes a game.

The team’s resident outside marksman, Jeff Chan, was a standout out of the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws. He led the team in three point field goal percentage with 36.3% for the conference.

Rounding up the Elasto Painters’ roster are rookies RJ Jazul and Josh Vanlandingham. Jazul is a product of the Letran Knights (under the coaching of current Philippine Patriots’ Head Coach Louie Alas). He also saw stints with the PBL’s Toyota Otis Sparks and the Smart Gilas - Pilipinas National Team. Vanlandingham, who played for the Pacific Lutheran University Lutes in the US NAIA and Hapee Toothpaste in the PBL, was drafted 5^th overall in the 2010 PBA Draft.

Watch your Singapore Slingers battle it out with the PBA’s Rain or Shine Elasto Painters this Sunday, September 5^th, at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. Game will start at 4PM. Tickets are available at Sistic. For more information, you may call (65) 6346 1004 or log on to www.singaporeslingers.com.