ALTHOUGH playing without some of its key players, EcoOil-La Salle has managed to find a way to prove its worth in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup in its build-up to the 85th UAAP basketball tournament.
“Ang number one objective namin dito is we want to improve, we want to learn here kasi isa ito sa preparation namin for the UAAP,” assistant coach Gabby Velasco said after the Green Archers dismantled hapless AMA Online 92-49 last Tuesday.
“So, whatever ang ma-experience namin dito, whatever we can improve here hopefully we will carry to the UAAP,” he added.
Velasco called the shots for the Taft-based dribblers in lieu of coach Derrick Pumaren due to health and safety protocols.
La Salle’s runaway win enabled the Archers to wind up with a 5-2 card after the eliminations and gain an outright semifinals slot as No. 2 — quite impressive for a team playing without Evan Nelle, Mark Nonoy, and Schonny Winston due to academic woes.
The Archers will square off with the quarterfinals winner between third seed Adalem Construction-St. Clare and sixth-ranked Builders Warehouse-University of Santo Tomas in a best-of-3 semis duel.
The quarterfinals of the season-opening tourney are set tomorrow, with the twice-to-beat Saints taking on an inspired Tigers quintet.
No. 4 Marinerong Pilipino, also armed with a win-once incentive, clashes with No. 5 Centro Escolar University in the other quarterfinals battle.
A knockout tiff or tiffs, if necessary, will be on Wednesday also at the Big Dome.
