MANILA — Rain or Shine did not want to disappoint Gabe Norwood on his jersey retirement day.
Elasto Painters' head coach Yeng Guiao said they wanted to make sure that they win as Norwood's No. 5 was immortalized.
They stayed true to that vow, quelling Converge's uprising for a 120-111 win, Friday, in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner's Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Norwood's jersey was formally retired by the organization during the halftime break, with the former Rain or Shine stalwart getting his well-deserved honor in a short ceremony.
READ: PBA: Rain or Shine officially retires Gabe Norwood's No. 5 jersey
"We wanted this win, really, for Gabe. We did not want to disappoint him on his day of jersey retirement," said Guiao. "Mas masaya si Gabe 'pag maganda 'yong nilaro ng team. So, it's really an effort by the team just to keep honoring Gabe's legacy sa franchise na 'to."
Norwood, a 6-foot-5 forward who also played for Gilas Pilipinas, was Rain or Shine's first overall pick in the 2008 PBA Rookie Draft.
He was a two-time champion with the Elasto Painters (2012 Governors' Cup, 2016 Commissioner's), and he spent all of his PBA years with Rain or Shine.
Meanwhile, just like in their last game against San Miguel, Rain or Shine saw a sizable lead evaporate, but they kept their composure in the end, staying firm despite the other side mounting a comeback.
There was "luck," at least for Guiao, as they came through in back-to-back escape wins.
"It's always a mental collapse," the RoS tactician acknowledged. "It's just relaxing, when you feel you have a good game, madalas mangyari pero ando'n pa rin 'yong suwerte. One of these nights, 'di namin masu-survive 'yung gano'ng mga rally, but hanggang may momentum, hanggang sinusuwerte, we'll take the wins."
"A win is a win. We have six wins, I think it's good enough to make the quarters. But para makasigurado, kailangan siguro seven wins."