COACH Pido Jarencio was a ray of sunshine when he walked into the cramped Filoil EcoOil Centre press room on Saturday and joyfully addressed media covering the game.
There were no sideswipes at his haters, no playfully grave threats, because after five years of waiting, his University of Santo Tomas is back in the semifinals in UAAP Season 87 thanks to its convincing victory vs. Adamson.
“Naiyak ba kayo sa mga sinabi ko?” Jarencio said after a near five-minute opener to his post-game press conference, which mostly consisted of thanking the UST community, its most ardent supporters and sponsors, and team staff.
“Siguro, wala naman akong basher ngayon, 'no? Kaya I love you all, I love you all,” he said playfully, this time without his now-infamous follow-up threat.
READ: UST books return to Final Four as Amiel Acido breaks out vs Adamson
It has been a trying season for the Growling Tigers, as after such a promising first round, they dropped three consecutive matches to start the second round and fall to 4-6.
With their Final Four hopes all of a sudden in peril, Jarencio shared there was a time wherein he questioned if his players were truly built for this situation.
Fast forward to now and safe to say, he was happy with how his players responded, finishing the season by winning three of their last four.
“Nung second round kami nag-struggle kami puro talo, akala ko made in Taiwan lang mga players,” Jarencio quipped in his trademark tito humor.
“Eh nagpapanalo kami ah, made in USA pala, matibay din. Itong mga 'to, ready kami.”
I got a story to tell
They’re gonna need all the toughness they can muster, as waiting for them in the semifinals is mighty University of the Philippines which owns a twice-to-beat advantage for the semifinals.
Coincidentally, the last time UST made the semis in 2019, it also had a twice-to-win handicap against the Fighting Maroons then featuring Bright Akhuetie, Kobe Paras, Ricci Rivero, and Gomez de Liano brothers Juan and Javi.
And back then, twice, the black-and-gold won and advanced to the finals before the team fronted by Soulemane Chabi Yo, Mark Nonoy, CJ Cansino, Renzo Subido, and Rhenz Abando, bowed to eventual champion Ateneo.
While Jarencio is certainly rooting for history to repeat itself, he insists on telling their own version of the story.
“That was 2019, that was the Renzo Subido winning shot. Gawa tayong bagong storya. Kami naman ang gagawa ng bagong storya,” Jarencio said.
“Tingnan natin. Kanya-kanyang storya yan e. Itong panahon namin, itong storya, gagawa kami. Iba players noon, iba rin players ngayon. Medyo mas matibay mga players ng UP. Ako naman, kumpyansa ako sa mga players ko.”
Writing that story will be easier said than done, as the Growling Tigers have to beat the State U consecutively after already having failed in the two teams' pair of elimination round meetings.
Still, Jarencio vows to be ready regardless, knowing that it’s a brand new ball game come the Final Four.
“Basta kami, preparasyon na kami ngayon for the playoffs against UP,” he said.
“Twice-to-beat sila, malay mo, bilog ang bola, may tsamba. Basta dito lang kami sa baba, nasa lupa lang kami. Tignan natin. Pagtrabahuhan natin lahat.”
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