IT SEEMED like only Jeric Teng came out ready to wrap it up for University of Santo Tomas, coach Pido Jarencio rued the other day.
“Jeric did his part, but everyone else’s contribution was limited,” said Jarencio after his Tigers failed to sweep the La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP men’s basketball championship series last Saturday.
“In a championship, everything’s mental,” said Jarencio. “We’ve been practicing this since the off-season. I’ve taught them all the drills. We just have to be consistent.”
Teng’s 28-point explosion for the Tigers went for naught as the Archers dominated early to carve out a 77-70 triumph that squared the best-of-three series at 1-1.
“There were moments when we gave up and lost our composure,” said Teng. “That can’t happen again.”
The Tigers go for another try at becoming the first No. 4 team to go all the way in the winner-take-all Game 3 on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Mall of Asia Arena.
While Teng sizzled, Game 1 star Kevin Ferrer was a disappointment this time with just six points on a dismal 1-of-6 shooting. He was whistled for an unsportsmanlike fourth foul after he hit La Salle’s Norbert Torres in a loose-ball scramble.
The poor outing came just three days after Ferrer’s hot performance of 20 points—15 coming from three-point range—in the Tigers’ 73-72 Game 1 win.
“He relaxed,” Jarencio said of his lanky wingman. “[La Salle’s] defense covered him, he couldn’t get good looks at the basket. But I’m also not satisfied with his defense on Jeron [Teng].”