FOUR games into the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball tournament, the reigning runners-up UP Fighting Maroons have yet to be stopped.
Upon dodging a late bullet for an overtime victory against also-ran FEU, UP now holds its best start to a men's basketball season at 4-0 (win-loss) since Season 60 in 1997.
READ: UP rallies past FEU in overtime to stay unscathed in Season 86
From its first title in 36 years in Season 84 to its best prelims record (11-3) in recent memory in Season 85, the new breed of Fighting Maroons continues to reach new highs for its once troubled men's basketball program.
But for UP deputy coach Christian Luanzon, who is a former UAAP player himself for UST, echoed lead tactician Goldwin Monteverde's sentiments on racking up early wins and building momentum for the season's home stretch.
"Well, it’s big for us. As Coach Gold (Monteverde) said in the last game (versus UST), it’s always nice to gather as many wins as we can especially in the first round," Luanzon said.
"Personally, playing in this league two decades ago and at the same time coaching, one thing that I’ve seen in the UAAP as an advantage is that in the first round, if you’re able to get at least five or six wins under your belt, ang laking puhunan na nu’n papasok ng second round so malaking bagay ‘yun," he added.
Furthermore, Luanzon underscored the dire significance of avoiding complacency at any point of the tournament regardless of opposition.
"(Comfortable) is a word you rarely hear sa locker room namin because no team in this league is a pushover," said Luanzon. "What we saw in FEU coming into this game, ang mahirap sa mga ganitong (winless) teams like FEU and UST, when you come to play them ay dala nila ‘yung school pride nila at ‘yung gutom para manalo."
"As Coach Gold would always say, ‘Every game is a chance to grow.’ Hopefully, as we continue to grow, it would translate to wins. Napaka-importante rin sa’min not to take anyone lightly and to play confidently, but at the same time (to give) ‘yung respect that is due to them."
The Maroons will bat for win number five in as many games against the UST Tigers at the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday.
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