By: Joaquin Cortez
With their Final Four hopes officially dashed, Adamson University head coach Nash Racela wants his players to look inward and embrace accountability, while finishing their UAAP Season 89 campaign with their heads held high.
The Soaring Falcons were officially eliminated from contention on Sunday after absorbing a 69-84 defeat to defending champion De La Salle University at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, dropping to a 5-8 record with only one game remaining.
Following the loss, Racela reminded his players that their campaign should not be measured solely by results, but also by the effort, preparation, and commitment they put into the season.
“You always have to do self-reflection, always have to ask yourselves, did you do your part? Did you give your best? Did you prepare well? If your answer is always yes, then it should not bother you,” said the former TNT and Blackwater coach.
“You should be able to live with the result. That’s always the approach.”
Despite their elimination, Racela stressed that the Falcons must remain focused on their final assignment rather than dwell on their shortcomings.
“We always focus on the next one. We still have a game, so rather than think about all those things, we just want to focus on our preparation for the final game,” he said.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
Adamson entered the second round in third place with a 4-3 record, just a game behind University of the Philippines and National University.
However, the Soaring Falcons struggled to sustain their strong start, losing five of their last six games to miss the Final Four for the second consecutive season.
For Racela, addressing the team’s struggles requires more than examining individual performances, as improvement must come from everyone involved in the program.
“If you want a different output, a different result, then make sure you change the input,” said Racela.
“Pag pumasok ka ng kulang, huwag kang mag-expect ng sobra. If you always give more than what is expected, malamang-malamang maganda ang makukuha mo.”
The veteran tactician also acknowledged that injuries compounded the team’s struggles throughout the season, including those sustained by Precious Jonah. Still, he refused to use them as an excuse for their disappointing finish.
With their playoff hopes gone, the Soaring Falcons will look to finish their campaign on a high note when they face surging University of Santo Tomas on Wednesday, November 25, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The matchup will also mark the final game of Racela’s current contract, which will expire next month. Nevertheless, the Adamson mentor believes that one game will not define his overall stint with the program.
“I’m sure naman that last game will not really define ‘yung stint namin dito at Adamson. I think those people who really understand basketball, alam naman nila ‘yung ginawa namin sa program,” he said.
“We just give our best, try to finish strong, and hopefully, manalo.”
