By REYNALD MAGALLON
Veteran Mac Belo and Rain or Shine have finally come to terms, agreeing to a one-year deal, the team announced on Wednesday, May 31.
Belo is now officially an Elasto Painter after nearly two weeks of back-and-forth negotiation between the two camps.
Rain or Shine acquired the rights to Belo following a trade that sent big man Norbert Torres to Meralco.
The move is seen to be a breath of fresh air for Belo who was planted deep in the Bolts bench in his two years with the team, largely due to a series of injuries.
Joining a team, helmed by head coach Yeng Guiao who is known to give opportunities and develop his players, Belo could finally get the break in his career after failing to bring a once promising amateur career with FEU and Gilas Pilipinas to the PBA stage.
Belo, drafted third overall in the 2016 draft, couldn’t live up to the expectations in his first six years in the league with the last two years being the most uneventful after Blackwater sent him to Meralco for Baser Amer in 2021.
The Elasto Painters, though, expressed their willingness to help Belo regain his top as he is expected to become one of the foundations of the team’s rebuild.
The Elasto Painters currently have a perfect mix of veterans in the likes of Beau Belga, Gabe Norwood, and Jewel Ponferrada, and young guns in Gian Mamuyac, Anton Asistio, Rey Nambatac and Santi Santillan.
