AFTER an exchange of criticisms, insinuations, and reminiscences, Nash Racela vowed to keep his emotionas in check when Adamson and Tab Baldwin's Ateneo fight for the last spot in the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball Final Four.
Racela told SPIN.ph how he's been trying to calm his team down in light of all that went down on and off the court ahead of Wednesday's fourth-seed playoff.
READ: Adamson hero Montebon has final say in friendly banter with Cruz-Dumont
"To be honest, we’re very specific with emotions. I always tell the team to have a balance when you talk about emotions — not too high, not too low.
"Siyempre when you play a knockout game, ‘pag mataas ang emosyon mo, you’ll be out of control. We’ll probably talk about that again in the next two days para mag-settle down ang team before the actual game (versus Ateneo)," Racela said.
Doing their part
With a season-saving dagger from Mathew Montebon over University of the East, the Falcons cleared half the path to a Final Four spot.
Racela hopes to pull off an all-important encore of such a heroic stand for Adamson in its second straight fourth-place playoff, which it won last season versus La Salle.
"We always preach [about] doing our part. As coaches, we’ll start with us, ‘yung preparations namin. We have two days to prepare for the game (versus Ateneo). Coaches will do their part, players will have to do their part in absorbing and understanding the game plan.
"That will probably give ourselves a really good chance sa Wednesday," said Racela.
"I always say the chance that you have on Wednesday should be enough motivation because you’re playing a knockout game. Wala na dapat ibang nagsasalita pa sa’yo," he added.
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