Mason Amos gets to experience the other side of the storied Ateneo-DLSU rivalry.
As expected, Mason Amos was showered with jeers at the SM Mall of Asia Arena during Ateneo and DLSU’s Rivalry Sunday matchup.
Over a year since his controversial move from Katipunan to Taft, Amos’ transfer remains a painful memory for the Ateneo fanbase, and they didn’t hesitate to voice out their frustrations whenever the spotlight turned to the big man.
After the Blue Eagles won, 81-74, over the Green Archers, Amos said that he doesn’t really mind the reception that he received from the Katipunan-based crowd. At this point, he’s well aware of his status among Ateneo fans and would rather move forward with the rest of his new team.
“There’s really nothing to comment about. That’s how they feel, and that’s how they’re going to feel for the rest of the season, and I’m just gonna keep moving forward,” Amos, who finished with a measly six points and two rebounds, said after the game.
“No, I’m good, I mean, I had a bad game and we all have bad games and I’m just gonna keep moving forward,” Amos replied when asked about the Ateneo crowd’s loud jeers. “I [just tried] to be mentally tough and to be there for my teammates because they needed me also.”
His storyline aside, Amos stressed that the Green Archers can no longer afford flat starts, especially with Ateneo mounting a 30-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. While the Archers went on a 19-0 run to start the final frame, it ultimately went for naught as the Blue Eagles held firm in the final minutes.
“I’m just going to be straight up honest — we played really bad, and you guys saw what happened in the first half. Time wasn’t on our side; we made a run, but we can’t keep relying on that stuff to happen,” Amos lamented.
“We take full responsibility for this. The coaches, players, we didn’t play how we usually play, and there’s no excuses for this game.”
Mason Amos and DLSU are now headed into a one-week break before taking on the dark horse NU Bulldogs on October 12 at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
“Again, we’re just gonna prepare for them. They play a different style to what we do, so we have to prepare for this one in the next week of practice, and we’re just gonna keep working hard because every team in this league can mount an upset,” Amos said.
“We’ve seen that everybody can lose, and you know? Just prepare as much as we can.”
Banner images from the UAAP Media Bureau.