FREE throws.
It's the clear and obvious answer that Collins Akowe could give when asked what needs to change for University of Santo Tomas to rescue this UAAP Season 88 men's basketball campaign.
Bad turned to worse for the Growling Tigers on Wednesday as they fell to University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 89-88, to drop their fourth straight game.
It's a defeat where this season's hosts squandered a golden chance to force a tie for second spot to now slip up to joint fourth at an even 5-5 slate in this tightly contested tourney.
READ: Pido Jarencio gives UST an earful after another heartbreaker
And for Akowe, the culprit was none other than the team's ever-present woes from the charity stripe as the team shot 28-of-52.
The Nigerian center was without his faults, making only 10 of his 20 free throws in what was the biggest blot on his 26-point, 16 rebound night.
"We had a chance to win the game but basketball is funny sometimes," sighed Akowe.
Truth be told, free throws really has been UST's Achilles heel this season.
Even in their first six games where they went 5-1, the Growling Tigers were already seventh in the league at 60.4-percent.
But that weakness was further magnified in this recent skid as UST has gone 60-of-108 during this stretch, a harrowing 55.6-percent, plummeting to the bottom of the league in free throws as it has only made 58.6-percent of its freebies for the season.
Understandably, this skid has taken its toll on the team but Akowe would be the first to note that moping really won't do the black-and-gold any wonders.
"It's the same way. There's always this tough feeling after a loss, so nothing special. It happens, it's basketball so we have to learn from it," said the hulking bruiser.
"It's frustrating but I won't let it get to my head. I'm not dwelling on it too much. It's already in the past so I'm not thinking about it."
The attention, Akowe says, now shifts to UST's next assignment with Far Eastern U up next as coach Pido Jarencio ramped up the urgency for their crew.
"Coach said a lot of things but basically he said we need to keep pushing and focus on our next game. We just got to win," he stated. "We just have to stay focused and stay positive for the next game which is FEU. One step at a time."
"We need to win our next four games cause it's a must win. We're gonna go out stronger and get the job done."
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