THE thing with losing skids is that it humbles teams as they tumble all the way down from great heights.
At the same time, though, it shows their true colors.
For University of Santo Tomas, that challenging four-game stretch made it realize that achieving greatness entails sacrifices – one that it’s willing to do, as the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament approaches its culmination.
“Yung ego talaga,” said Growling Tigers team captain Nic Cabanero, “that’s what we’re setting aside.”
“It’s not about Nic Cabanero, it’s not about Collins Akowe, it’s not about Forthsky Padrigao. We have respect for one another because even sa coaches, that’s how they mold us.”
UST finally got back to its winning ways on Wednesday, bucking a tough test from desperate University of the East, 109-97, to earn its first victory in the second round and more importantly, revive its Final Four hopes by rising to a 6-5 record.
READ: UST reignites playoff flame after running over also-ran UE
Of course, crumbs of their bad habits persist and this game was no different, as the Growling Tigers lost grip of a 27-point third quarter lead and allowed the Red Warriors to get to within nine late in the fourth.
Tigers growl all together
But in times of despair, the Thomasians knew they couldn’t depend on anyone else but themselves, just like how the coach Pido Jarencio repeatedly preaches to them.
“They believe in us. Mentally, tough yung nangyari sa amin, but we still believed that we can [achieve our goals],” said Cabanero. “Sa amin naman, sa lahat ng chances and opportunities [that come our way], we just have to make sure that we grab it.”
And so they did, finally ending that misery and somehow, restoring order.
However, the job still ain’t finished and the season still isn’t lost that Cabanero stressed what he’s been saying from day one: that for UST to achieve its ultimate goal, it has to be willing to be a part of a larger equation and do whatever it takes for the betterment of no one else but the team’s.
“We need to be ready from the first man to 16th man,” he said.
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