Rain or Shine faces Meralco in Bacolod City exhibition

BACOLOD City – PBA teams Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and Meralco Bolts are set to face each other in an exhibition game this Oct. 19 at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum here.

The match dubbed as “Pasiklaban Sa Supercity” is slated at six in the evening with the Painters to be headlined by Escalante City, Negros Occidental-native James Yap and the Bolts to be led by Pontevedra-native Raymar Jose.

Aside from Yap, also bannering the Painters are Capiznon Rey Mark Belo, Gabe Norwood, Rey Nambatac, Beau Belga, Mark Borboran, Leonard Santillan, and Nick Demusis.

Completing the Rain or Shine squad are second-year players Gian Mamuyac, Anton Asistio, Jhonard Clarito and Andrei Caracut as well as rookies Keith Datu and Sherwin Concepcion.

Luis Villegas, one of the three rookies signed by the Painters, will be unavailable for the Joseller Guiao-mentored squad as he is still recovering from his anterior cruciate ligament injury.

On the part of the Bolts, Jose is to be joined by Ilonggo Anjo Caram, Aaron Black, Clifford Hodge, Chris Newsome, Raymond Almazan, Kier John Quinto, Allein Maliksi, and Alvin Pasaol.

Also included in the Bolts roster is rookie Shean Jackson, Diego Dario, Norbert Torres, Jansen Rios, and Kyle Pascual. Chris Newsome could be doubtful to play after coming from a stint with the Gilas Pilipinas in the 19th Asian Games.

The Painters and the Bolts are using the exhibition game as part of their preparation for their upcoming campaigns in the 2023-2024 PBA Commissioner’s Cup, which will kickoff on Nov. 5.

The event is presented by Bacolod Yuhum Super City in celebration of Bacolod City’s Masskara Festival and came months before the City of Smiles play host to 2024 PBA All-Star Weekend.

Ticket prices for the exhibition game are P700 for VIP section, P500 for Patron A and P200 for General Admission and can be purchased at all IMart branches, Bacolod Yuhum Foundation Office and Quan (La Salle, Northdrive, Veranda, San Juan)./PN