MATHEMATICALLY speaking, as tough as this run of futility for Adamson is after losing five in a row, it still has a chance to catch one of the two remaining Final Four buses this UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.
“It’s still doable,” said coach Nash Racela on Sunday after their 70-59 defeat to the University of the Philippines relegated its record to 3-7.
READ: UP joins La Salle in Final Four with hard-fought win vs Adamson
“It’s the beauty of this season, that despite the very unstable performances namin, going to the last four games, yung chances namin is still within our control.”
Indeed, the soft-spoken mentor understands that what matters now is that the Soaring Falcons’ fortunes are still in their hands.
After all, their next games are against teams who are very much in the thick of the race alongside them in the middle of the pack.
Up next for Adamson is University of the East on Wednesday, National University on Nov. 10, and University of Santo Tomas on Nov. 16, and the still to be rescheduled game against Ateneo.
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Racela, however, said that now, it’s up to the players’ determination, as they have to show it if they really want it.
“If they really want to advance, we need to start winning and it needs to start Wednesday,” he said, zooming in on that next game against the Red Warriors. “It’s not going to be easy, but importante is we do our part. After the game (vs. UP), yun ang usapan namin.”
And how should they do it? Racela said that it’s plain and simple putting in extra work possession by possession.
“It’s not enough anymore that you just hang around. That’s what we need, a little bit of extra and that will make the difference,” he stated. “Pwede mo sabihin sa akin na, ‘Coach, we’re close against UP and we just lost by a couple of points.’ But this is the time for us to do that little extra. Not just be in front and have your hands up, but contest every shot or dive for every loose ball.”
Racela furthered: “It’s nice to be able to compete and give ourselves a chance in the end, but we just have to do that little extra. That little extra is the difference-maker, so I hope we do that. That’s the difference between winning and losing.”
Things may not have been playing out the way Racela wants it, but make no mistake about it: he trusts the San Marcelino crew until the end.
“I have lots of belief in this team. Actually, going to this game, I was declaring a 'Miracle Sunday,' but it did not happen. We only do our part and only good things can happen but today, kulang pa siguro,” he said.
“Maybe we just have to do a little more.”
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