Rain or Shine Elasto Painters are eager to bring their brand of basketball to the international level when they represent the Philippines in next month's William Jones Cup in Taipei.
Established in 1977, the Jones Cup is one of the biggest regional club basketball tournaments.
It attracts teams from North America, Europe and Asia and has often been used by many Asian national teams to prepare for a FIBA tournament.
It is back after a three-year absence due to the pandemic.
Teams from the Philippines have won the tournament six times -- in 1981 with Northern Cement, 1985 with SMC, 1998 with the Philippine Centennial Team, 2012 with Gilas Pilipinas, and 2016 and 2019 with Mighty Sports.
Now, for the first time in the tournament's history, a PBA team will represent the country in the Jones Cup, and the Elasto Painters players and coaches are excited to face taller and stiffer competition.
"It's gonna be a big test for us, but it will be a good experience for our team especially going into a (PBA) season where the imports (Commissioner's Cup) will come first," said assistant coach Mike Buendia, who took over the coaching chores in the Elasto Painters' 118-112 win over NorthPort Batang Pier in the PBA On Tour on Wednesday night.
"We'll be playing bigger teams there. It will be a challenge, but it's gonna be beneficial for our team.
"Win or lose, we'll learn a lot from that competition. But we'll always try to get that win every game when we play there."
Buendia said the team will take a break after their last tour game on July 26 before returning for practice on Aug. 7.
Former Ateneo Blue Eagles center Ange Kouame, who will join the team in Taiwan, will be the team's only import.
Elasto Painters veteran Gabe Norwood, who sat out the Tour and is still vacationing in the United States, is expected to join the team by Aug. 10.
Buendia said they still have no idea about the competition, except that there will be two teams representing Chinese Taipei.
Among the current Rain or Shine players, only Norwood, Anton Asistio and Gian Mamuyac have played in the Jones Cup.
Mamuyac, who along with Asistio represented the country in the 2018 edition with Ateneo, says he's looking forward to returning and has already told the team what to expect.
"Definitely, it's always an honor to represent the country," Mamuyac said. "This time, we're not only representing our team Rain or Shine, but also we're representing the Philippines -- so (it's a) huge honor and huge responsibility.
"I already told them that the schedule is you have to play every day. You only get a one-day break. And so that means you have to adjust to different game plans every night.
"(The) turnover (between games) is faster. You've just played a game and then overnight you have to adjust for the next game. It's just less than 24 hours.
"That adjustment, and also the level of competition -- we went up against national teams and also top colleges from around the world -- I told them (his teammates) to expect the same thing."
For Shaun Ildefonso, it will be a chance to finally don the national team colors, as he shared: "It's a great opportunity, I guess.
"I've never really represented the country. I didn't play for Batang Gilas."
Ildefonso added the exposure will help the team for the next PBA season.
"(The objective is) just (to) make the most of it (and) compete against a higher level of competition," he added. "It's going to help us and I look forward to fixing our chemistry approaching the season.
"What we're emphasizing right now is our speed in the preseason, so I feel we can practice this against bigger opponents. It's a higher level of training because we're in another country. (I'm) really looking forward to this level of competition."
Ildefonso also doesn't think the team will be too bothered by the daily schedule of games, stating: "Well, we practice crazy. Coach Yeng (Guiao) knows that and these guys know that
"I'm pretty sure we're prepared for it. But it's a different atmosphere so we'll see how it goes."
Veteran Beau Belga, on the other hand, said he was "surprised" that the Elasto Painters got the call to play.
"I wasn't expecting it, I didn't think we would be the ones to be sent," he expressed. "But it's here. I'm not totally having any expectations or whatever.
"We will represent the Rain or Shine team and our country to the best of our ability."
"This preseason, the competition isn't that serious. When it comes to Jones Cup, that's different. We'll need to get serious.
"It will also test us, to what extent or limits are. When it comes to the (PBA) playoffs, the games are also tight. Our young guys will be tested."