FUELED by vengeance after a first-round loss to Ateneo, the University of the Philippines Maroons exacted sweet revenge on the Blue Eagles, 65-60, last Sunday in UAAP Season 86 at the Araneta Coliseum.
In the absence of veterans CJ Cansino and JD Cagulangan, there were no shortage of heroes for the Maroons as Gerry Abadiano scored a career-high 22 points while Harold Alarcon, Francis Lopez, and Malick Diouf chipped in 10 apiece.
Alarcon shared that it was the next-man-up mentality that spurred the rest of the Maroons to step up.
"Walang rituals or ano, we are just trained to be ready all the time," he told SPIN.ph. "Ready lang talaga kami dapat, 'pag tinawag 'yung pangalan ni coach, dapat sigurado kang ibibigay mo ang 100 percent mo sa loob."
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The Maroons still lord it over the standings with an 8-1 (win-loss) record that Alarcon said is the result of a team-first philosophy at UP.
"Be ready, 'yan ang pinang-gagalingan kung bakit parang lahat kami kayang gumawa, at mag-score. Bawat lalabas sa court, ang iniisip lagi, dapat tumulong sa team," he said.
"Nire-remind namin isa't isa to stay together, hindi pwedeng magwatak-watak, 'yung mga times na nasa lowest, dun dapat strong and solid," he added.
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