By Jerome Lagunzad
If defending champion La Salle intends to regain its deadly form of old, the Green Archers know they have to play within the proven system – famously known as “Mayhem” – instilled by second-year coach Aldin Ayo.
Failure to do so may lead to another setback, something that La Salle hopes to avoid today when it tries to get back at University of the Philippines in the UAAP Season 80 basketball tournament which swings to The Arena in San Juan City for the first time this year.
Tip off is at 4 p.m., with the Green Archers (6-2) out to earn a fitting follow up to a 75-73 victory over host Far Eastern University Tamaraws last Wednesday, avenge a 98-87 setback to the Fighting Maroons last Sept. 23 and keep their hold of the second spot.
“I think 100% of the time we just have to stick to the system. Isang beses, dalawang beses na isang player ang hindi mag-stick sa system, talagang nagkakaroon siya ng impact agad,” said La Salle assistant coach Miggy Solitaria.
Top wingman Ricci Rivero appears to have found the rhythm expected from him by many, underscored by his solid average of 19.5 points on 69 percent shooting clip on top of 4.0 steals, 3.5 assists and 3.0 rebounds while coming off the bench in their last two matches.
“Like what coach Miggy said, we just have to stick to the system,” he said. “We get our offense through our defense talaga. Lahat ng nagawa ko from defense siya, from steal or defensive rebound. Nagpe-pay off lang ‘yung hard work.”
The Fighting Maroons, coming off a 71-69 squeaker against skidding University of Santo Tomas fours days ago, do need to exert an extra effort if they want to pull off a repeat win, according to UP coach Bo Perasol.
“That’s going to be a tough game against La Salle. I don’t think that’s going to be a plus to us that we were able to beat them in the first round, but again, it’s going to be with same principle. We’re going to fight it out, we’re going to give it our best shot,” he said.
Stopping UP star Paul Desiderio should be foremost on La Salle’s defensive agenda after the Cebuano guard exploded for a career-high 30 points, spiked by six of the team’s 16 triples, the last time out.
But the veteran Fighting Maroons guard is unfazed, saying: “Siyempre ‘yung advantage lang namin ang kukunin namin.
Mayroon namang bad game ang La Salle pagdating sa amin.”
