UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas is in a free-fall nearing the midway mark of UAAP Season 89 - at least, thats how Amiel Acido sees it.
After a lopsided defeat to Adamson, the Growling Tigers’ wounds got rehashed no thanks to a gut-wrenching loss to National U on Saturday.
READ: Jumamoy lets gritty NU come out on top of gutsy UST in OT
The black-and-golf got big time performances from Acido, Mark Llemit, and Landyn Jumawan, who took turns raining hellfire on the Bulldogs in the fourth quarter and overtime just to lose via a Reinhard Jumamoy stepback triple.
“Siyempre, masakit talaga yung mga talong ganun,” Acido said after being on the wrong end of an off-the-glass game-winner. “Masakit talaga kasi 'di mo naman yun na-expect eh, 'di ba? Mga Hail Mary shot? Nasa isip ko na lang, sana, huwag pumasok eh.”
“Pero nakuha nila yung resulta na ginusto nila. Ayoko na ulit matalo nang ganun kasi masakit.”
It almost wasn't to be so, as Acido fired 20 points, while Jumawan and Llemit poured in 22 and 21 markers, respectively.
UST, though, had plenty of missed opportunities to execute - which has been the theme through their three defeats.
As the winger from Antipolo explained, “Its more on decision-making. Kung makikita mo sa laro, marami pa kaming lapses. Pero I feel na maaayos naman namin yun.”
“It starts sa practice talaga. So yun kailangan lang paghandaan, and looking forward kami na ilaban yung next games namin.”
UST, let's go fight
With a second straight loss, the Growling Tigers now find themselves solo seventh in the standings; just ahead of winless and luckless University of the East.
They aren't about to go banging the panic button, however.
“We have to move forward pa rin kasi hindi naman dito nagtatapos yung first round namin. Mahaba pa yung season, marami pa kaming kailangang ayusin, at marami pa kaming kailangang paghandaan,” Acido said, looking ahead to their next assignments against red-hot Far Eastern University and resurgent Ateneo.
“Nakausap ko na rin naman na sila na 'di kami pwedeng ma-down talaga kasi may mga times talaga na nasa rock bottom ka. So ang mentality nalang namin is paano kami ulit aangat.”
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