Jeron says sorry to Jeric in advance, vows to deny brother a fitting farewell

JERON Teng only has a few words for his brother Jeric ahead of their showdown in the UAAP Season 76 men’s basketball finals.

“I’m sorry.”

The go-to guy of De La Salle, the younger Teng said he is saying sorry in advance because he plans to deny the University of Santo Tomas Tigers a championship on his older brother's final year in college.

“I want to win for the LaSallian community, the alumni, and management,” said Jeron during a press conference organized by their management group on Monday night. “They really supported us. You must give it back to them by winning the championship.”

“Kaya nga I’m sorry na agad,” the younger Teng said in jest.

Jeric Teng, however, said that he will also not allow his younger brother to win the UAAP crown now that the Tigers have earned the right to face the Archers in the finals.

“I think since Ateneo (in a do-or-die playoff for a semifinal berth), we have been playing well. Lahat ng players na pinasok ni coach Pido (Jarencio), we play much better now especially on defense. Ngayon, nasa finals na kami. We’ve been there before,” said the 22-year-old Teng.

Jeron, who won the Rookie of the Year last year, believes La Salle has the advantage over UST in the best-of-three finals which begins on Wednesday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

“Siguro from our lineup, from player one to our last player, we can all contribute. We have a deeper bench compared to them,” said Jeron Teng, 19.

But Jeric Teng said the Tigers' desire to win a first championship for the school in seven years, as shown by their upset of top seed National University in the Final Four, make them dangerous in the series.

“Siguro ‘yung attitude namin towards the game. ‘Yung hard work namin ‘yung pinaka-edge namin sa ibang players,” said Jeron Teng.