YOU win some, you lose some.
READ: UP lead guard JD Cagulangan to be back in action for second round
It’s as simple as that for the erstwhile-unbeaten University of the Philippines after falling flat to its championship tormentor La Salle, 68-56, in a heated first-round finale.
Tensions were high in the game between both benches in particular, but UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde made sure he and the rest of the Fighting Maroons will stay level-headed in dealing with their first defeat of UAAP Season 87.
‘We’ll take it from here’
Even if the Fighting Maroons ended up turning a 20-point first-quarter deficit to victory, which they just fell short of completing in the homestretch, it would still end up as simply being one of many more steps to come if they were to reclaim the crown.
“Well, life goes on, whatever happens. Kahit naman manalo ka, it's still the first round. May one round pa na haharapin, and what's important is to look at how to improve on yung laro namin ngayon as a team,” Monteverde said.
“I think we'll take it from there.”
And as it often goes in life and in sports, tomorrow is another day.
“Kung anong nangyari ngayon, i-take lang namin yung mga learnings, tapos bukas ibang araw naman, pero ‘di namin kakalimutan ‘yung mga kailangang i-improve as a team,” added Harold Alarcon, who paced State U’s first loss with 19 points, five rebounds, three steals and an assist.
Can’t play catchup no more
Slow starts have been the Fighting Maroons’ Achilles heel in their last three matches of the first round.
Although they were able to turn a 9-22 deficit to Adamson and a 16-23 gap to UST into eventual comeback victories, it wouldn’t be the case against La Salle since yielding a 13-19 opening frame that swelled to a 15-35 hole just before halftime.
If UP was to cement its status as a serious title contender, Monteverde hopes his wards would act and play like serious title contenders.
“From the last (three) games namin, sabi ko nga, we can't play catch-up basketball every time na uunahan ka, sabay hahabulin mo. We really need to work on that. Alam namin dapat kung anong gagawin du’n. Siguro, after this, ‘pag napanood namin yung games, makikita namin kung ano pang dapat naming ayusin,” the UP shot-caller said.
“This would be an example that we really need to look up or review on what we need to work on pa, especially offensively, yung execution namin, I think it's one part of our game we could improve on.
“Ang laking bagay din kasi para sa’min na makita namin pare-parehas. Minsan pag nananalo ka, minsan hindi mo nakikita what needs to improve and ano pa dapat ma-realize.”
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