UNIVERSITY of the East knows that seven wins should be enough to get through to the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball Final Four.
But this knowledge may have also been weighing down on the Red Warriors that even coach Jack Santiago is flabbergasted with the recent funk that they find themselves in.
"Honestly, I don’t know what's happening to the team right now," he said following UE's shock 59-51 defeat to Far Eastern University on Sunday.
"We had a good preparation against Adamson and FEU, but as a coach, di mo malaman yung nangyayari. Baka masyado ring nape-pressure yung mga bata,” he added.
“Right now, they know that seven wins will make it to the Final Four so medyo worried ako kasi baka masyado silang nag-iisip na kailangan makuha yung seven wins rather than playing their usual games kasi masyado silang tight maglaro."
It's been a nightmarish second round for the Recto crew as they have only won one in four games, a complete contrast from their 5-2 run in the first round.
The last two defeats, too, were an eyesore as UE shot only 26-percent in a 45-37 defeat to Adamson before going on a 29-percent field goal shooting against FEU, prompting Precious Momowei to call out his teammates for playing "like [expletive]."
READ: Momowei first to admit UE's effort as of late belongs in the bin
Despite this tough stretch, Santiago maintained his belief on his wards that they are capable of ending the 15-year Final Four drought for the Red Warriors.
"I’m confident with the boys that we will make it to the Final Four," he said, shifting his attention to UE's next game against University of Santo Tomas on Saturday. "We just need to weather the storm and hopefully by next game, we can bounce back."
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