FORGET about a second straight pre-season crown for University of the Philippines. The real test and the tilt that matters most is still the UAAP.
“We just tried to win and go home. We have a lot of things to work on. This is not really our goal, but we worked really hard for this,” UP’s Fil-Angolan wingman, Francis Lopez, said after the Fighting Maroons held off reigning UAAP champion La Salle 69-66 in the final of the Filoil EcoOil 17th ECJ Pre-season Cup last Wednesday night. “Our goal is the UAAP, not this one. It’s just another game for us.
“To be honest, (this means) nothing really. This is just the pre-season. It’s nothing to us,” he added.
Guard Gerry Abadiano said UP’s conquest of the premiere off-season meet will be a big boost in their campaign.
“Noong halftime, sabi sa amin, ‘hindi kami nakaka-shoot and nawawala rin iyong depensa namin.’ Buti pagbalik namin ng second half, binawi namin iyon,” Abadiano said. “Para sa akin lang, huwag kami tumigil, tuloy-tuloy lang sa pag-improve.”
After a riveting title triumph in the 84th season in 2022 that ended UP’s 36-year dry spell, the Maroons have lost twice in a row in the Big Dance — to Ateneo in the 85th season and to the Green Archers in last year’s cage wars.
The 6-foot-6 Lopez, who spoke in lieu of coach Goldwin Monteverde, admitted the Katipunan-based dribblers have their work cut out for them.
“I’d say not even 50 percent. We have a lot of things to work on–our consistency, mostly,” Lopez, last season’s Rookie of the Year, said.
“Coach Gold (Monteverde) keeps telling us to not be complacent. Whatever team you face, don’t get complacent.”
