GOLDWIN Monteverde always demands the best from his players.
That’s already given, all the more for a University of the Philippines team seeking redemption in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.
And with a chance to secure at least a playoff for the Final Four spot on Sunday, the soft-spoken mentor is expecting nothing less even if the Fighting Maroons are coming off a two-week break.
To do that, it will help if they start better this time around when they face Adamson once again on Sunday, 3:30 p.m. inside the Mall of Asia Arena.
The last time the two teams faced each other, the Fighting Maroons dug themselves a 9-31 hole before flexing their muscles to take a 69-57 win.
“Ganoon pa rin naman. We’re just sticking to the process that we know which is to improve every game,” Monteverde said as it targets its 8th win in attempts against the 3-6 Falcons.
It’s been a while since UP last hit the court, beating University of Santo Tomas, 83-73, back in Oct. 13.
But more than the victory, Monteverde zoomed in on what State U can improve on, particularly with how it allowed UST to lord over the offensive boards, allowing 19 offensive rebounds and 19 second chance points despite winning the rebounding battle, 43 to 35.
“We have to learn from that and improve in our next game,” he said.
Adamson, on the other hand, wants a repeat of that and more as the San Marcelino side looks to complete the upset this time out while also halting its four-game skid, the latest of which a 70-45 blowout loss to La Salle.
FEU, UST eye crucial leg-iup in Final Four race
In the second game, Far Eastern University (3-6) is also looking to complicate the middle of the pack as it seeks to also get a piece of UST (4-6), which has lost its last three games, when they play at 6:30 p.m.
Jorick Bautista, Mo Konateh, and Veejay Pre have gotten their groove in the second round as the Tamaraws have won back-to-back games, the last a 65-58 nipping of National University.
On the flipside, Forthsky Padrigao and Nic Cabanero welcome Mo Tounkara back from his one-game suspension as they aim to revive their postseason hopes after a stunning 67-64 home defeat to Ateneo.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
