ALTHOUGH University of the Philippines has pushed reigning three-time champion Ateneo on the brink, Fighting Maroons coach Goldwin Monteverde insisted there was no secret in the games where they brought down the Blue Eagles.
Except for consistency.
“I guess naman sa basketball iyong ang formula is really to be consistent. Ang important is maging consistent as a team, and defensively kumbaga we trust each other,” Monteverde said.
“Iyong communication dapat nandiyan. Wala naman I think na perfect formula for anything. Ang important lang is just being consistent on doing what we do,” he added.
UP seeks to end 36 long and weary years of heartaches when it battles Ateneo tonight in Game 2 of their best-of-three finals duel for the 84th UAAP basketball tournament crown before another expected jampacked crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The match is set at 6 p.m., with the Maroons raring to bag their first title since 1986, while the Eagles are trying to forge a knockout game.
Game 3, if necessary, will be on Friday at the same venue.
After claiming the scalp of Ateneo 84-83 in their second-round tiff last May 1 that ended the Eagles’ 13-game winning streak this season and a 39-0 record since 2018, UP shocked Ateneo anew with an 81-74 overtime win in the finals opener last Sunday.
Monteverde maintained their mission is far from done.
“Sa akin kasi, to be honest hindi ko talaga iniisip iyong about like streak nila before or about just beating Ateneo, naka-focus lang lahat kami lagi doon sa goal namin, so siyempre if we have a goal along the way kung sino man makaharap mo, so we gotta do something to overcome that,” Monteverde said.
“To me I just give my best and just help, help the team and kami to help each other to achieve this, iyon lang talaga ang iniisip ko.”
The likes of Ricci Rivero, Carl Tamayo, 6-foot-10 Senegalese Malick Diouf, Zavier Lucero, James Spencer, Joel Cagulangan, and Gerry Abadiano are expected to lead the Maroons’ charge.
Bloodied but unbowed, Eagles tactician Tab Baldwin is hoping his team could pull off an ace off its sleeve.
“We believe that we can turn this result around, and it’s a three-game series for a reason,” Baldwin said.
“So, we intend to work our tails off, and get this thing in a third game and do the very best we can to win the championship.”
Ateneo will pin its hopes on Dave Ildefonso, 6-foot-10 naturalized Filipino center Ange Kouame, Gian Mamuyac, BJ Andrade, SJ Belangel, Tyler Tio, and Raffy Verano.
