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‘I think the players are kind of affected psychologically and mentally, so that’s what we want to overcome now,’ says UE coach Jack Santiago as the Red Warriors try to salvage what was once a rosy campaign
MANILA, Philippines – After a sterling performance in the first round of the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, the UE Red Warriors surprisingly suffered a sharp decline.
Boasting a third-best 5-2 record after Round 1, the Red Warriors lost five of their next six games in the second round.
“I think the players are kind of affected psychologically and mentally, so that’s what we want to overcome now,” said UE head coach Jack Santiago as the Warriors, although tied with UST at 6-7, slipped to fourth due to the Growling Tigers’ superior quotient.
“It’s just like we’re in quicksand right now, the more we move, the more we will sink. So we instructed the boys to play within the system,” added Santiago.
While the Warriors had looked primed to end their 15-year Final Four drought, the unfortunate skid made their path to the semifinals much harder.
UE (6-7) blew important second-round matchups to UST (6-7), Adamson (5-7), and FEU (5-8) — middling teams all vying for the last two semifinal berths after La Salle (12-2) and UP (9-3) put a lock on the top two spots.
The Red Warriors then made matters worse when they lost to the already eliminated Ateneo (4-9) in their last game on Wednesday, November 13.
“There were a lot of forced shots, incorrect decisions, but at the end of the day, we know that they were just well-meaning to help,” said Santiago.
“There were also a lot of bad shot selection in the crucial parts of the game.”
To avoid complications, UE must win its final elimination-round assignment against powerhouse UP on Wednesday, November 20, to seal its semifinal spot.
Otherwise, the Red Warriors’ fate will depend on the outcome of other games.
A key match to watch will be the UST and Adamson duel on Saturday, November 16.
If UST wins, the Tigers will claim a Final Four spot with a 7-7 record, while Adamson will drop to 5-8.
So if UE loses its game against UP, the Warriors will fall to 6-8, giving Adamson a chance to forge a playoff for the last spot, since the Falcons still have one final game against Ateneo.
If Adamson wins, the Falcons will rise to 6-7, while UST will fall to 6-8.
If this scenario plays out coupled with a UE loss, the Tigers and the Warriors may figure in a playoff as the threat of Adamson and FEU (5-8), which also has one more game to play, still looms.
“We just need to cross that hump,” said Santiago. “I told the players to play within the system, and all the more we need to stick together.” – Rappler.com
