LA Salle got a surprise emotional boost at halftime of its knockout game against Far Eastern University as two-time UAAP MVP Ben Mbala gave his former team a pep talk on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old center entered the team's dugout and gave the Green Archers a much-needed pep talk in their last-ditch bid to punch the last ticket to the Final Four.
"Just little tips about playing against FEU," Mbala said when asked what he told La Salle players, most of them his former teammates. "Our guys from last year, I gave them little tips and I told them to play hard."
Mbala, who is coming off a stint as an import in the Korean league, arrived at the Smart Araneta Coliseum just before the halftime break and he expected the tight duel between the two sides to continue in the second half.
"I mean, it's going to be a tied game until the end of the game. It will go down to execution," he said, while also warning the Green Archers to learn from the mistakes of the past.
"These types of games, remember when I was not playing yet? Mac Belo hit the shot over (Jason) Perkins. It's going to be that type of game. I'm hoping the guys won't crumble under the pressure. I'm sure they'll handle it."
That's why Mbala is just wishing his side the best as he vowed to keep on cheering La Salle in this win-or-go home clash against FEU.
"I wanna show my support and how grateful I am to them. You know, I'm always a La Sallian and I'll always be one," he said.
The Tamaraws were holding a 54-51 lead over the Green Archers at the end of the third period.
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