Archers defying preseason talk, on target for Final Four

Despite succumbing to an 84-80 double-overtime defeat in the hands of title favorites Far Eastern University, La Salle’s performance Thursday was a validation of the team’s Final Four capabilities. The Green Archers pushed the Tamaraws to a corner right at the opening bell, erected a nine-point lead, 68-59, in the latter part of the fourth period and stood within a free throw of forging a major upset in the first extra period against the still unscathed FEU Tamaraws.  “Few weeks before the season, people doubted us, saying that we’re not capable of entering the final four.  They told us we’re just ranked in either the sixth or seventh spot,” said DLSU skipper Simon Atkins. It might be too early to shove those preseason predictions down their critics’ throats, but La Salle has come out very impressive thus far in Season 73. They quickly silenced their pundits by thwarting a more favored UP squad on opening day and stringing up wins against UE and rival Ateneo. Their losses were close ones against NU and FEU. “We just work hard, our mission is to prove to everyone that we’re capable of being in the final four and still win the championship,” added the fourth-year guard, whose team was surprisingly ranked number one in points allowed, assists, opponents field goal percentage, bench points, points in the paint, fast break points and blocks prior to its second defeat in five games. FEU coach Glen Capacio, meanwhile, never underestimated La Salle from the get-go and knew that what the Tamaraws had just faced was a squad with promising talent with majority of its core are first and second-year players. “I expected this kind of game because La Salle is a talented team,” commended Capacio, who also noted that the patented pressure defense of DLSU gave them problems in their offensive execution. Right now, the Green Archers and the Growling Tigers sport identical records at 3-2 in a topsy-turvy kind of season where so far six teams will be battling for a final four spot while the other two squads are still winless after four stints. “I’ve been telling my teammates, that we can do it. As long as we stick to the system, play aggressive basketball. Yeah, we’re on the right track, and this game we had an opportunity we just didn’t grab it,” finished Atkins. The way they’re playing, those opportunities might just keep on coming.