Adamson University interim head coach Jean Brian Gorospe might be holding the fort right now in the absence of mentor Ewon Arayi but the former finally has a win under his name in the UAAP Season 85 Women’s Basketball Tournament.
The Caloocan native leaned on Dindy Medina’s heroics – 23 points at the back of 53.3 percent field goal shooting – and masterminded Adamson’s 97-69 demolition job on University of the East, Saturday morning, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
“Maganda naman naging turnout ng game,” said Gorospe.
“It’s just that meron pa rin kaming mga learning improvements na dapat ayusin sa team.”
Gorospe has taken charge of the Lady Falcons in their three games so far in Season 85 with Arayi out fulfilling her duties with the Philippine Navy.
While this lopsided win will be credited to him on paper, he prefers to pass the buck to the former national team player.
“Siyempre, pasalamat na din ako dahil nandiyan yung guidance ng aming head coach na si coach Ewon Arayi,” said Gorospe.
“Talagang nakatutok pa rin siya sa amin kahit na wala siya sa team, yung presence niya, pero she still gives us pa rin every time, every day, kung anong dapat gawin, adjustments na dapat gawin para mas maging solid yung team namin.”
Just like all of the teams this year, the Lady Falcons are still in the process of finding their footing this season.
Their last UAAP campaign was in Season 82. Back then, COVID-19 has not broken out yet into the worldwide pandemic it evolved to and Adamson was able to make it to the Final Four.
Repeating that feat is a difficult task and Gorospe just wants to take it day by day.
“Talagang mabigat yung expectation especially if we’re gonna take the Final Four eh,” he said. “Pero, sabi ko nga, if we’re going to play it one game at a time, wag muna natin isipin yung Final Four (dahil) darating naman yun eh.
“It’s just that every single game, nag-i-improve tayo. Pag inisip namin kase ang Final Four, talagang nakaka-pressure eh although malaking bagay yun na baonin naman (para) mas makompyansa.”
After three matches this season, Adamson finds itself with one win following two losses.
There is still a chance to make up for lost time but the margin for error in the UAAP is always thin.
Gorospe hopes to see his Lady Falcons mature across the span of the season. There will be roadblocks up ahead but he is betting on his players to rise above them each time.
“We really need to think and decide properly sa bawat gameplan namin na as much as possible, we win every game and hindi namin afford to lose any game na ganun kabigat katulad ng mga past few games namin,” he said.
“So we really need to prepare this season dahil yung team din, most of them are mga rookies pero lahat naman nakukuha sa proseso.”
