Daven Tamayo

'We wanted this win for Gabe,' says Yeng Guiao as RoS delivers win on Norwood's jersey retirement

Article (news)

John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Rain or Shine did not want to disappoint Gabe Norwood on his jersey retirement day.Elasto Painters&#x27; head coach Yeng Guiao said they wanted to make sure that they win as Norwood&#x27;s No. 5 was immortalized.They stayed true to that vow, quelling Converge&#x27;s uprising for a 120-111 win, Friday, in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner&#x27;s Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.Norwood&#x27;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.<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/4/10/pba-rain-or-shine-officially-retires-gabe-norwood-s-no-5-jersey-1856">READ: PBA: Rain or Shine officially retires Gabe Norwood&#x27;s No. 5 jersey </a></div>&quot;We wanted this win, really, for Gabe. We did not want to disappoint him on his day of jersey retirement,&quot; said Guiao. &quot;Mas masaya si Gabe &#x27;pag maganda &#x27;yong nilaro ng team. So, it&#x27;s really an effort by the team just to keep honoring Gabe&#x27;s legacy sa franchise na &#x27;to.&quot;Norwood, a 6-foot-5 forward who also played for Gilas Pilipinas, was Rain or Shine&#x27;s first overall pick in the 2008 PBA Rookie Draft. He was a two-time champion with the Elasto Painters (2012 Governors&#x27; Cup, 2016 Commissioner&#x27;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 &quot;luck,&quot; at least for Guiao, as they came through in back-to-back escape wins.&quot;It&#x27;s always a mental collapse,&quot; the RoS tactician acknowledged. &quot;It&#x27;s just relaxing, when you feel you have a good game, madalas mangyari pero ando&#x27;n pa rin &#x27;yong suwerte. One of these nights, &#x27;di namin masu-survive &#x27;yung gano&#x27;ng mga rally, but hanggang may momentum, hanggang sinusuwerte, we&#x27;ll take the wins.&quot;&quot;A win is a win. We have six wins, I think it&#x27;s good enough to make the quarters. But para makasigurado, kailangan siguro seven wins.&quot;

Rain or Shine did not want to disappoint Gabe Norwood on his jersey retirement day.

Rain or Shine did not want to disappoint Gabe Norwood on his jersey retirement day.