UP finds themselves in unfamiliar territory after dropping Game 1 of the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Finals against DLSU.
For the first time in the post-pandemic era, it’s the UP Fighting Maroons who will try to force a winner-takes-all match in the UAAP Men’s Basketball Finals.
Now in their fifth-straight year fighting for a championship, the Fighting Maroons dropped Game 1 of the Season 88 Finals to the Green Archers, 70-74, in a nip-and-tuck affair on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Although their backs are now against the wall, head coach Goldwin Monteverde remains confident in State U’s chances, pointing out how they turned things around after a 0-2 start to the season.
“We just have to play better than this for one. Pangalawa, just try to find out the lapses na mayroon kami and this is not the first time na natalo kami,” Monteverde said in a quick post-game interview.
“So just reminding oursevles na we started the season ng 0-2 nga, and I believe that our team knows how to bounce back from ganitong situations. And we just lost the battle, but the war is not over yet. We still have two games left and we’re still positive about it.”
But if there is one thing that Monteverde hopes to change by Game 2, it will be the Fighting Maroons’ offensive production, especially after Harold Alarcon was a one-man show in the series opener.
While Alarcon fired for a career-high 34 points, offensive support was lacking. Apart from the graduating guard, only Francis Nnoruka managed to finish with double digits, chipping in 13 points and six rebounds in the losing effort.
“’Yung 34 points ni Harold, of course kailangan ng team ‘yun. But then ‘di naman pupwede na si Harold lang [ang gagawa] to be able to win itong finals na ito. It should take a team to overcome whatever we’re facing in terms of ‘yung offense namin,” Monteverde said.
“Just to clear it out, whatever Harold did for us this game, kailangan namin ‘yun. It’s just that kailangan may mag-contribute din and hindi lang siya.”
With Game 2 set for Sunday, December 14, Monteverde is also aware that forcing a Game 3 will take more than the X’s and O’s. At this point into the season, heart and grit will just be as crucial if UP hopes to revive their fading title aspirations.
“Every finals game naman, we should want it more. Especially on the defensive end, dapat maging mas matibay kami sa depensa, and we need to toughen up even sa mga offensive rebounding and stuff,” reflected the soft-spoken mentor.
“I believe that there were certain parts of [Game 1] na maayos naman ‘yung tinatakbo namin, but we just need to be consistent on what we’re doing on both ends.”
Images from Kieran Punay/KLIQ Inc.