VERGEL Meneses might be keeping his expectations low for Jose Rizal University this season, but that doesn’t mean he’s already resigned to the fact that they’re just going to lose NCAA games left and right.
That’s why when they finally got their first on-court win, a hard-earned 57-55 decision over Emilio Aguinaldo College, Meneses is hopeful that this is a start of something positive for his squad.
“Yung next game namin, kayang kaya na talaga namin. San Beda lang naman,” Meneses said in jest as his Bombers take on the mighty Red Lions on Tuesday at the Filoil Flying V Arena.
“Hindi mo naman ako tinanong kung anong kaya ba? Baka kaya magpatalo,” he added while laughing. “Pero seriously, bilog ang bola. Lalaruin namin ng tama and we’ll see. Baka makachamba. Ganyan lang naman ang JRU this season e, chamba chamba lang.”
The Heavy Bombers will be coming into the match with a woeful 2-6 record against the Red Lions and Robert Bolick who is coming off a historic 50 point output last Friday against Arellano.
The start was the worst in the Meneses era, but the PBA great insists that he has seen it coming, granted that they are in full-rebuild mode this season.
That doesn’t stop him from challenging his players though as he even vows to reward them if they meet a certain number of wins this season.
“Alam ko naman na yun, nakita ko na nung preseason palang. I am very vocal to them sinasabi ko naman sa kanila,” Meneses said.
“Pero I always challenge them. Lagi kong binibigyan ng challenge yang mga yan, I told them if we get four wins, we’ll be going to Bohol,” he added.
With the way they started, it seemed like that four-win target will be hard to reach, but the players got a breather when they got their loss to San Sebastian overturned due to RK Ilagan’s participation in an unsanctioned game outside the NCAA.
Now they’re just two wins away, but that doesn’t mean Meneses is gonna give them a free pass.
“Nabiyayaan pa kami, mukhang lugi ako, dalawang panalo nalang sila e,” Meneses said. “Baka gawin ko nang lima.”
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