“The second round is going to be exciting,” warned first-year UST head coach Haydee Ong after the first round had just ended.
And exciting it is especially for the season-hosts as the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses are just half a game behind the fourth-ranked Adamson Lady Falcons with just two games remaining in their schedule.
After the Growling Tigresess’ 59-42 victory over the Ateneo de Manila University Lady Eagles last October 29, 2016, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, a last-minute entry to the Final Four is very much possible for UST — a round they had barely missed a season ago.
“Nag-focus kami sa defense kasi defense first eh bago makamit ang offense mo. Teamwork lang talaga nagpanalo kaya nagka-19 points ako,” shared UST’s Angel Anies after the pivotal win.
Currently boasting a 5-7 slate, Anies and her teammates had to deal with Haydee Ong and her coaching staff’s arrival before the start of the season. Nevertheless, the Growling Tigresses are riding the storm.
“Hindi natin kasi masasabi pero ganun talaga. Maraming adjustment ginagawa sa bagong coach, pero nagagawa naman namin kasi June lang sila nag-start bago mag season,” shared the Pangasinan-native.
For Anies, everything starts in practice. “Marami kaming pagdadaanan sa training, go hard palagi para madala namin every game,” she narrated.
“Teamwork lang talaga. Hindi namin magagawa yan kapag walang teamwork. Tiwala lang sa isa’t isa. Trust the system.”
With just half a game separating UST and Adamson, their second-round encounter is the biggest game the Tigresses will play this season. That contest will be played on November 9, 2016, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
“Adamson pinakamalaking game namin talaga kasi kailangan namin matalo talaga sila. Pag hindi namin sila tinalo, sila papasok sa Final Four. Lahat ng game namin, every time iniisip namin sabi ng coach namin is a championship (game) palagi. Bibigay namin lahat,” stated Anies.
Adamson won 66-62 over UST in the first round. What better way for the Growling Tigresses to get back at the Lady Falcons than to win and to leapfrog them in the race for the Final Four?
The BS PE/Major in Sports Wellness Management student-athlete lamented that loss and said, “I think nag-collapse kami last two minutes. Lamang pa kami pero nag-collapse kami sa defense namin.”
“Para sa akin alam na namin yung mga pagkakamali namin, hindi na namin uulitin yun para sa next game namin against Adamson maitama na namin yun.”
Provided the Growling Tigresses can make the post-season, a shot at the championship itself isn’t out of the question for UST. That eventuality dawned on Anies. “Final Four muna talaga kasi kahit naman prediction mo hindi naman agad championship. Step by step. Kung makakalusot kami, ipapatuloy namin. One at a time,” she concluded.
