ADAMSON University coach Nash Racela pondered what could have been if the Soaring Falcons managed to win a game or two of their four losses in the first round of the 87th UAAP basketball tournament.
With a 3-4 mark, Adamson wound up fifth. But Racela remained unfazed, convinced his wards could turn their fortunes around in the second round.
“We wanted to be at No. 4, siyempre, I think that’s the target of all the teams. We didn’t get it but the good thing about it is moving forward, going to the second round, you’re just a game behind the No. 4 team,” Racela said. “Two games behind UE, anything is still possible. Of course, you just wanted to be in a better position sana.
“But things happen. Maybe we’re not yet ready to be in that position. We need to make our adjustments. Hopefully, we will correct that in time,” he added.
Adamson gets a shot at a fresh start when it tangles with lowly Far Eastern University tomorrow, Saturday, as the second half of the cage wars get going at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The game is set at 4 p.m., with defending champion La Salle seeking to avenge its first-round defeat to red-hot University of the East in the nightcap at 6.
Racela’s squad absorbed a sorry 62-63 setback to the Red Warriors on a Wello Lingolingo buzzer-beating jumper last Sunday.
With the likes of Matthew Montebon, Matt Erolon, Cedrick Manzano and Royce Mantua showing the way, Racela expects better games from the San Marcelino-based five.
“Hopefully, mas maganda naman ang record namin sa second round. Again, looking at the bright side, we lost four games but a lot of those were really close games. Even the wins that we had, medyo close,” Racela said.
“Ibig sabihin, the message really is, every game we have a chance. We put ourselves in a good position to compete and try to get wins.”
Adamson trounced the Tamaraws 59-47 when they first met last Sept. 8.
Carrying a 1-6 slate, FEU will lean on Jorick Bautista, Gambian Mo Konateh, and rookies Veejay Pre, Janrey Pasaol, and Jedric Daa.
Racela will use UE’s surprising surge in the opening round as motivation.
“The first round, we just got three (wins), hopefully, we get more in the second-round para magkaroon naman kami ng tsansa,” he said. “UE was able to do that, they became our inspiration. Sa second round sana mala-UE rin iyong performance namin.”
