BLOODIED but unbowed.
While admitting their shocking setback to National University stung his wards last Sunday night, University of the Philippines coach Goldwin Monteverde maintained they could only get better.
“I guess iyon naman kami, every game naman, even if we win the game or we lose the game, we always try to find the things to improve on individually and also as a team,” Monteverde said after the Maroons absorbed a 47-67 rout at the hands of the Bulldogs in the 87th UAAP basketball tournament.
“I believe naman sa mga ganitong klaseng game, it should make us stronger also. Learning from this, preparing us for bigger teams and that I think,” he added.
The defeat brought down UP to 9-2 and derailed its bid to bag a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four.
Monteverde insisted the Katipunan-based cagers failed to get the job done against an NU side that played with a sense of urgency.
“Sa mga ganoon situation siguro I think if we could execute better. I’m not gonna take anything away from NU, they played good defense sa amin. Siyempre, being the opposing team, kapag maayos ang defense mo, dapat it should call for better execution on our part,” Monteverde said.
“We had some open shots, but then again, we were not making it. Minsan siguro, nangyayari ang ganoon. Ayaw namin siyempre to rely sa ganoon. Iwo-work namin before our next game.”
Or was it because the game was played at the University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion?
“I’m not gonna go there as an excuse. Sa akin dapat in any which way, dapat preparado ka kung saan lang ang laro or what,” Monteverde said.
“This is not the first time that we have played in another venue. So, I don’t wanna depend on sa ganoon, about places.”
What Monteverde wants is for UP to shun its habit of falling into sluggish starts—to realize a lofty goal.
“Kahit sa unang game pa lang, pangalawa, talagang gusto namin tanggalin, you know, iyong mga slow start na iyan. Siguro kapag iba ang situation to think of ways pa na para maiwasan natin iyon,” he said. “Ang importante lang is when we approach every game, alam namin na prepared kami and having that mindset na to able to execute on both ends.”
