COACH Jumbo Dimaculangan has one last request from University of the East in UAAP Season 88.
And hopefully, it’s not too tall a task.
After another straight-sets loss to La Salle on Wednesday, the Lady Warriors now stand at 0-13 for the year, with just one game left in their ledger.
READ: Sweep within La Salle's reach after taking care of business vs UE
And ahead of that - shall we say, must-win - match against Ateneo on Saturday, Dimaculangan has a wish he hopes his wards would be able to fulfill.
“Actually kanina, after the match (vs. La Salle), I was telling the girls na, ‘Wag niyo naman akong i-zero,’” he shared with SPIN.ph.
"Kasi sabi ko nga, for two seasons that I coached UE, I was able to get a win, at least one win."
Dimaculangan’s previous stints with the Recto team came in Seasons 84 and 85, where they delivered identical 1-13 records with a core of Ja Lana and Riza Nogales.
And though he would very much want to end his first season back in red-and-white on a high note, the shot-caller made it clear that the truth of the matter is he just wants his girls to keep playing to the best of their abilities.
“I’m not pressuring them. It's biruan, jino-joke ko sila to lighten up the mood. But I was very straight naman and specific na we'll still need to work harder pa rin sa training. Walang magbabago,” he said.
“I would not use the term gigil. Siguro, it's more of to satisfy din kung ano yung gusto nila. Of course, all players naman wanted to get the win.”
Taking a cue from the top
Since the start of the season, UE has only won a grand total of two sets, with both coming in the first round.
While most of their shortcomings could be tied back to simple personnel disadvantages, Dimaculangan actually begged to differ, detailing that growing pains also sucked their composure at times.
“Yun nga, it's a mix of veterans and young ones. Medyo nawawala yung mga rookies. I don't know if it's feeling of (being) overwhelmed or kinakabahan, natatakot,” he said.
“So those emotions naman are valid, especially, yun nga, hindi naman sila, I would say, top picks. I don't have the top rookies na nare-recruit, but they're following the system.”
Though Dimaculangan acknowledge the obvious talent disparity between their currently winless squad and the still-unbeaten Lady Spikers, he also admitted to aspiring to replicate the player development that the latter have long set the standard for.
“It's just that La Salle is, I would say, La Salle,” he candidly said. “Because they were able to build the culture na hindi naman basta-basta magpapatalo.”
“Yun yung program na ginagawa namin. Kasi kailangan namin habulin yung maturity sa game. But the reality is you would just gain that maturity, yung pagiging matapang, and experience by playing talaga in competitions. Makukuha lang yan sa actual games and patient naman pa rin kami.”
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