Mapua University tasted its first loss in just the fourth day of the NCAA Season 98 Seniors Basketball Tournament.
And it came at the hands of Lyceum of the Philippines University, absorbing a 67-76 beating.
For Paolo Hernandez, it’s an early wake-up call to them that all teams this season are hungry to win.
“Ayun tuloy-tuloy pa rin kami sa ensayo. ‘Yun nga every game counts eh, so lahat ng games importante sa amin. Ayun nga lahat ng teams dito – lalaban talaga,” said last season’s Most Improved Player, who had 16 points and nine rebounds in the defeat.
“So ‘yun kung wake up call, ayun ti-treat namin ‘to as wake up call sa amin. Gagawin lahat ng best namin para makabawi next game namin on Sunday, ayun sana tuloy-tuloy.”
The Cardinals were one of the title favorites entering the season.
And on opening day, they flaunted their depth as the Cardinals walloped the San Beda Red Lions, 66-55.
But against Lyceum, the energy they showed against San Beda was nowhere to be found.
Though they were able to out-rebound the Pirates, 56-40, the Cardinals were error-prone in the contest, committing 20 turnovers that led to 13 points.
Moreover, they just could not find the bottom of the net as they shot a horrid 19-of-65 from the field.
Indeed it was just a bad day at the office for Hernandez and the Cardinals.
“Siyempre, masaya na o-overwhelm kasi dati di kami pinapansin, ngayon eto na. So, kahit ano naman yan, kahit nasa baba kami or taas, pinapansin man kami or hindi, gagawin pa rin namin ‘yung best namin para manalo every game,” he expressed about having a target on their backs compared to last season.
“All out kami every game, and sana mag result ng maganda, and makaabot ng championship; makuha ‘yung championship this season.”
