By NIKOLE JAVIER
University of the Philippines may have fallen short of closing out the Finals series in Game 2 but head coach Goldwyn Monteverde was not the one to whine over the lost chance.
For one, the Fighting Maroons still have their chance in Game 3 and they have learned valuable lessons in the 82-60 loss that should arm them better against the De La Salle Green Archers in the winner-take-all.
“It is what it is kung anong nangyari. Kumbaga, we’re not gonna make any reasons kung anong turn out ng game and rather we’re gonna look inside us, kung anong dapat naming ginawa and importante rito may Game 3 pa, so andoon ‘yung chance namin. Learn from it lang,” Monteverde said.
The Fighting Maroons may have struck first with the most lopsided Game 1 victory of 97-67 in the Final Four era, but the Green Archers were not to be doubted for the title contention as they forced a winner-take-all Game 3 on Wednesday, Dec. 6, before a huge 20,863 green-and-maroon crowd.
Monteverde also added that there were no excuses to be offered as the Fighting Maroons were accountable for their inconsistency that led to another do-or-die battle – its third-straight rubber match in the Finals.
“Going naman sa mga ganitong game, I thought they had more energy kanina. Ganitong klaseng mga game would really teach us what kind of effort to put forward to be able to get ‘yung championship, if need be, to learn with this win,” said Monteverde.
“Pag finals siyempre from the very start of the game, dapat alam mo na what’s at stake, anong klaseng intensity, focus na haharapin mo. Whatever else is involved there, we should take it like men para ma-overcome ‘yun,” he added.
The Fighting Maroons were held to 19 attempts from the outside and only buried two of those, while the Green Archers successfully fired 12 of theirs.
It was a far cry from UP’s brilliant Game 1 showing where it converted 18 of La Salle’s turnovers to a 24-point advantage.The Game 2 also saw Season 85 MVP and two-time Mythical Five member Malick Diouf get fouled out with 3:30 left in the game.
What a chance to redeem themselves, Monteverde is expecting to see a better version of the Fighting Maroons in the decider.
“Siguro we should just learn to play consistently as a team. Siyempre sa mga ganitong situations sa finals, it would really count how to face challenges nang hindi mag-isa rather face them working together and helping each other out,” he concluded.
