LA SALLE Green Archers know all eyes are on them, so they make sure to live up to that pressure.
And that hustle starts as early as preseason.
La Salle executes extra court drills
Every game day at the FilOil EcoOil Centre, the UAAP season 86 defending champions stay a few minutes more on the court after the match, regardless of the result, to do certain drills.
According to head coach Topex Robinson, it's a challenge everyone on the team signed up for.
"We've talked about it. We asked everybody last season who wants to win a championship, and everybody raised their hands. And now that it's here, the next question is, how committed are you to feel the pressure that everybody [else] will always play their best everytime they're playing you," he told SPIN.ph.
In three FilOil games, La Salle got a taste of bitter and sweet with wins against University of Santo Tomas and Adamson University, while they took an L to University of the Philippines.
Tension's high, but Topex reiterated that they'd take this position any day, and will utilize it to build a culture within the team.
"We always try to challenge ourselves, as [defending champions], wala kang sinusundan, but there's always going to be UP, Ateneo, UST, but sabi nga namin, we always put them into question 'pag pagod sila," he said. "Yung ginawa sa court, hindi parusa but upping our level to the point that everybody's trying to reach that level."
From the team's end, they're willing to do the work.
He added: "That's part of our growth, journey, and I appreciate these guys responding, that makes the sacrifices worth it."
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