THERE’S no question that last season’s finalists La Salle and University of the Philippines have lived up to the billing as the leaders of the pack after the first round of prelims play.
READ: UAAP adjusts Season 87 basketball schedule to avoid late tip-offs
Both championship protagonists went six of seven to begin UAAP Season 87 to share the league lead, with La Salle taking the slightest edge by virtue of outlasting UP in the Round 1 finale.
But one team, in particular, has stole the show with an explosive charge no one saw coming: University of the East.
Turning a 0-2 start to a 5-2 first-round finish for their best-ever start to the men’s basketball tournament in a decade is no easy feat. But someway, somehow, the Red Warriors got it done and they’ve only just begun.
Bombs away
Two years at the helm with UE and Jack Santiago hasn’t seen a start quite like what his Red Warriors have done thus far this season.
Rather than basking on their newfound success, the UE head coach sees such a historic run of form as a ‘big responsibility’ to uphold the rest of the way.
“Nu’ng nag-run kami ng back-to-back (wins), tapos naging back-to-back-to-back, masyado niyo akong pine-pressure na no’n kasi parang binibigyan niyo ako ng big responsibility,” Santiago told reporters.
“Lagi ko ngang sinasabi sa mga boys, in life, there is always pressure. It's a matter of kung paano mo i-accept ‘yung pressure na yan.
“Sinasabi ko sa kanila, we are part of the history already pero hindi tayo pwedeng ma-satisfy. Bago kami pumasok dito, sinasabi ko sa kanila, enjoy the victories, we're part of the history, 5-2, but let's be humble and we’ll go back to practice with a 0-0 standing.”
UE better be at their best
Steering the Red Warriors’ steady ship on all fronts is Nigerian big man Precious Momowei.
The 6-foot-9 talisman ranked fourth in the MVP race after the opening round with 11.6 points, 13.3 rebounds and two assists per game to amass 68.286 statistical points.
Momowei trails La Salle stalwarts Kevin Quiambao (first) and Mike Phillips (third) and UP ace playmaker JD Cagulangan (second).
But being UE’s shoulder to lean on, having played the most minutes out of anyone in the league at 34:39 on average, isn’t a challenge Momowei will ever be fazed to face.
“Honestly, there is no pressure. I feel like we have a good team, we have a better team right now, and we have a good coaching staff. Whatever we do in the first round, we just have to do times two in the second round and go harder
“I feel no pressure, and I'm sure my team feels no pressure also.”
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