MANILA, Philippines - Sasamantalahin ni La Salle coach Aldin Ayo ang 10-day break ng Green Archers para ilagay sa pamatay na porma ang kanyang koponan sa pagsabak sa UAAP LXXIX men’s basketball finals sa Dec. 3.
Hindi nasiyahan si Ayo sa ipinakita ng Green Archers sa kanilang Final Four match laban sa No. 4 Adamson.
“We have 10 days to prepare. Iyung mga lapses na ginawa namin sa Final Four, we’ll make sure ma-resolve namin and siguraduhin namin na (we fix and game and get rid of our lapses so) come Dec. 3, magawa na ang dapat gawin (we’re able to do what we have to),” sabi ni Ayo matapos ang 69-64 panalo sa Falcons.
Galit na galit si Ayo sa kanilang naitalang 3-assists at 26 turnovers ratio na nagpapatunay ng kanilang masamang execution.
“Ang sama ng laro namin (We played poorly). Coach Glen (Capacio) was comforting me after the game, ang sabi ko, hindi ako papayag na ganun-ganun lang ang laro kasi hindi ito yung makarating ka lang ng finals, okay na (I told him I won’t tolerate such performance because it’s not just a matter of reaching the finals). It’s all about winning the championship. Sabi ko sa mga bata (I told the players), you have to be accountable and you have to do our part because lahat naman ginagawa natin, yung suporta ng managers, yung practice plan, game-plan, lahat andun na. It’s just a matter of executing those schemes eh,” paha-yag ni Ayo.
Malinaw ang mensahe ni Ayo sa kanyang mga players.
“It’s down to the last two or three games. If we don’t fix our problem now, there’s a chance we’ll regret kung paano matapos ang season,” sabi ni Jeron Teng, nagtala ng team-high na 25 points, kabilang ang 11 sa fourth quarter sa finals berth-clinching win kung saan mayroon siyang pitong errors sa first half.
Ang second seed na Ateneo at No. 3 defending champion Far Eastern U ay maghaharap sa kanilang sariling Final Four duel bukas.