GAMES SATURDAY
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
2 p.m. – NU vs FEU
4:30 p.m. – UST vs DLSU
Standings:
Ateneo 2-0
Adamson 1-1
UST 1-0
NU 1-0
DLSU 1-0
FEU 0-1
UP 0-2
UE 0-2
ADAMSON University proved last Wednesday that playing as a unit still matters against a team supposed to be loaded with stars.
“I should be the happiest coach, at least hanggang 12 midnight lang (tonight). I saw their effort. I think today, they were very focused. ‘Yung mga adjustment na ginagawa namin on the fly, they were able to execute. I guess that’s part of maturity, it shows maturity,” Adamson coach Nash Racela said after the Soaring Falcons stunned defending champion University of the Philippines 62-59.
Ray Allen Torres spelled the difference in the tightly fought match at the University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion, scoring a three-pointer down the stretch as Adamson improved to 1-1 in the 88th UAAP men’s basketball tournament while handing UP its second straight setback.
There was a sequence in the showdown where Adamson only had four players inside the court against UP’s five but the Soaring Falcons held their ground.
“First time na nangyari sa akin ‘yun sa coaching career ko, pinalaro iyong apat na players,” said Racela, happy that the Soaring Falcons still snagged the triumph despite the oversight.
Racela pointed out that playing tremendous defense helped them limit UP below 60 points and stressed that teamwork should serve them in good stead moving forward.
“Iyon lang ang chance naming. We all know our talent compared to most of them ay mas mababa. Hindi ko naman binababa iyong mga players ko but I guess that’s just the reality and we have to accept that,” he said.
“And the only way for us to compete in this league is to play defense, play as a team, rely on each other, and not (depend) too much on our individual skills. The team should embrace that — and I think they’re starting to — so hopefully, every game ganito and ipapakita namin.”
Adamson shifts its focus to the Kymani Ladi-led Ateneo Blue Eagles, currently at the top of the standings with a 2-0 start, when they clash on Sunday at the Big Dome.
“It will be very challenging, I think. Just like our first two games. Iyon ang sabi namin, this first week is really very challenging for us. You’ll play the last year’s finalists and then you play a more improved Ateneo that just extended coach Tab’s contract for another three years. So syempre, that’s added motivation for everyone,” Racela said.
“It’s a well-coached team, alam niyo naman iyon and hindi niyo naman pinagkakaila, you all say that he’s the best collegiate coach in the Philippines. That’s what I always read and I acknowledge that also. He’s better than all of us but we will do our part in challenging Ateneo. Hopefully, we play well on Sunday.”
