JON Sheriff’s free throw shooting problems continued and while the “Hack a Sheriff” tactic used by La Salle could not prevent UST from winning, it did expose the Tigers’ huge problem.
With three minutes left to play, La Salle resorted to fouling Sheriff away from play as they tried to make a comeback. Sheriff wound up making two of his six shots from the stripe against La Salle.
The Tigers went on to win 77-61, but the UST guard vowed to work on his free throws because he doesn’t want it becoming a huge problem for the Tigers.
“It’s like psychological for me,” said Sheriff when asked by Spin.ph. “I want to prove that I can hit my free throws. I just have to be relaxed when I’m in the line. Dami ko kasi iniisip.
“But in the future, I will keep on working on my free throws and prove to the league and everybody that I can hit my free throws.”
Sheriff was actually shooting 2-of-7 from the line before the La Salle game, and UST coach Bong de la Cruz said he wasn’t surprised the Archers used the 'Hack-a-Sheriff' tactic.
“Hindi na kami na-surprise doon. But Sheriff is practicing his free throws. Tatama din ’yun,” De la Cruz said.
The team members are supportive as well of Sheriff, who was mobbed by other Tigers as he made his way back to the bench.
“They were just teasing me. Because they know that I can shot my free throws. They are motivating me that I can shoot my free throws. I know I can,” said Sheriff.
Sheriff, who is playing his final year with the team, likes how UST is playing with the Tigers focusing on defense en route to a share of first place with Far Eastern University with a 5-1 record.
“We are playing well on defense. That’s our main thing. We want to be aggressive on defense. We know that offense will come. We just want to keep playing defense,” Sheriff said.
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