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Pido Jarencio vows UST will continue fighting as the Tigers seek to end their five-year drought for a UAAP Final Four appearance
MANILA, Philippines – The UST Growling Tigers may have already arrested their three-game slide, but head coach Pido Jarencio did not hold back on his “bashers” following their midseason struggles.
Jarencio expressed his dismay on what he believed were fair-weather UST faithful after the Tigers turned back the FEU Tamaraws, 79-70, in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, on Sunday, October 27.
“Ang dami kong basher. I love you all. Mamatay na kayong lahat,” said Jarencio.
(I have so many bashers. I love you all. I hope you all die.)
“We’re just going to keep on playing and fighting. This team will continue to fight,” he added in Filipino.
The Tigers opened the second round with losses against perennial title contenders UP Fighting Maroons, and the La Salle Green Archers before losing on their home court against the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
Prior to their win against FEU, the Tigers lost five of their last six games.
Jarencio also lamented the decline of Tigers fans who attended the past two games, including the one at UST’s Quadricentennial Pavilion, which saw Ateneo fans occupy almost half of the arena as the home crowd failed to fill seats for a packed house.
“My only regret is that our real UST fans are always there win or lose but only a few attended today since we’ve been losing. But when we’re winning, they are all there,” the outspoken Jarencio said.
Jarencio, who guided the Tigers to their last UAAP championship in 2006, called for “real fans” to continue supporting UST as the team heads into the final stretch of the elimination round.
“To our real fans, keep watching us. If you’re not a real fan, it’s okay. If only five thousand fans watched us today, that’s fine with us,” Jarencio added.
“I have nothing to say anymore. I might say something worse. I don’t know. Thank you,” Jarencio said, ending the rather short press conference.
Hiking its record to 5-6 for fourth place, UST holds a 1.5-game separation against the 3-7 Blue Eagles, Tamaraws, and the Adamson Soaring Falcons in the standings.
The Tigers still have three games remaining on their schedule as they go up against the NU Bulldogs, UE Red Warriors, and the Soaring Falcons.
For Jarencio, UST’s remaining assignments are all must-win games as the Tigers eye their first Final Four appearance since 2019.
“It’s a do-or-die mindset for us in these last games,” he said. – Rappler.com
