BY Gwen Bergado
AFTER a decade and a half, University of Santo Tomas is back in the UAAP juniors basketball finals.
Still with a golden opportunity to claim their first championship since 2002, coach Manu Inigo is trusting the process even after the Tiger Cubs' Game 1 defeat to NU-Nazareth School on Thursday.
READ: Bullpups tame Tiger Cubs in highly-charged Game 1
After all, the black-and-gold's running-and-gunning was noticeably absent in their seven-point loss.
“Yung outside shooting natin, ‘di tayo tumama sa labas kanina,” the mentor expressed.
UST had a tough time finding the bottom of the net, going 22-of-61 on field goals and 22-of-36 on free throws. And when it mattered most, they also couldn't connect, as they were limited to just eight points in the final frame.
As Senegalese big Racine Kane (25 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks, three steals, two assists) did his darndest to match up with Bullpups dynamo Collins Akowe, gunners Kirk Canete and Joaqui Ludovice were misfiring - with the former finishing with five points in 33-percent shooting and the latter winding up scoreless.
Much of that was because the running game, the Tiger Cubs' bread and butter, was nowhere to be found, as they scored just eight points in transition.
Technically, UST remains alive and kicking
For the most part as well, the boys from Espana allowed their frustration get the better of them.
"Composure. Lalo na 'yung endgame. Nagkatalo talaga sa dulo na eh," Inigo answered when asked about their biggest room for improvement.
"Sa nakita ko, parang mas ginusto lang ng NU 'yung game."
READ: Coach Manu Inigo on the doorstep of history with Tiger Cubs
Staying composed is a reminder not only for the Tiger Cubs, but also for their shot-caller, as he was called for a technical in the third quarter for continuous complaining - questionable as it was, since all he did was turn to his bench and raise his arms following a whistle against them.
"Nakikita naman ng lahat kung foul o hindi," he said after his wards were called for 25 personal fouls leading to 25 freebies for NUNS.
“Ayun yung nakikita nila (referees), kailangan nating harapin.”
The good news is Inigo and all of UST will have a week to settle down and get things in order before Game 2 next Thursday still at the same venue.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
