Perasol: We need to match their grit

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UNIVERSITY of the Philippines coach Bo Perasol has gamely taken all the blame in the Fighting Maroons’ disappointing loss to University of Santo Tomas in their stepladder semifinals match last Sunday.

He admitted the No. 2 Fighting Maroons were simply outplayed by the fourth-ranked Growling Tigers.

“The way we played in most of the quarters, there’s just no way we can win against UST,” said Perasol.

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“We cannot be the recipient of their aggressiveness, we need to match them,” he added.
What he didn’t say was that he was outcoached by UST counterpart Aldin Ayo.

UP absorbed a 69-89 drubbing at the hands of UST that negated the Maroons’ twice-to-beat advantage in the semis and forged a rubber match for a finals slot against defending two-time champion and unbeaten Ateneo. The deciding game is set tomorrow at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

“If they are doing that and the others are not doing their jobs, we are going to be outscored and outhustled,” offered Perasol. “If they (bench players) are not going to deliver, we have to get back to our starters.”

UP’s starters outscored their UST counterparts 44-38 but the Tigers’ shock troopers scored 51 to the Maroons’ 25.

UP had nothing to blame but itself after it trailed 24-41 at the half.

The Maroons showed some signs of life and trimmed the deficit to 63-72 on a Kobe Paras basket with 3:13 to play in the final quarter.

UST, however, won’t be denied as the Tigers went on a 13-2 blitz capped by a dagger of a three-pointer by rookie Mark Nonoy that made it 85-65 in the final 50.6 ticks. — Michael Jugado

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