UP Maroons win soothes pain of PH Azkals loss for Dan Palami

UP Fighting Maroons coaching staff led by head coach Rensy Bajar and team manager Dan Palami (back). Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

A night after seeing the Philippine men’s football team take a beating at home, Dan Palami found some solace in the form of the University of the Philippines.

The Fighting Maroons gave Palami something to cheer about after beating a UAAP contender in the De La Salle University Green Archers Wednesday.

READ: UAAP: Maroons nip Green Archers for a 2-0 start

“The wound is so deep from last night’s loss but of course, as far as emotional barometer goes this has given me a big emotional boost coming from that loss to the Azkals,” said UP team manager Palami after the Maroons’ 71-66 win.

Palami couldn’t wipe the huge smile on his face with UP starting the season at 2-0 for the first time in 10 years but he warned that the early success comes with a price.

READ: Uzbeks find form, overwhelm Azkals

“2-0 doesn’t make a championship. We have to work harder because now teams are going to be prepared against us,” he said. “But I think the boys are ready. I think the planning that we had in the preseason was the key as to why we’re playing the way we are right now.”

“We practically have the same players as last year but we are able to get more out of them in the last two games. I think one of the assets and the advantages that we have is we actually have several players whom we can count on. Maybe the players that performed in the first game were different from the players that shone in the second game so we have good players who can step up when the need arises,” Palami added.

READ: UAAP Season 78 Preview: New season ‘blank page’ for UP Maroons

Palami attributes UP’s surprising start to its offseason work where the team competed in the FilSports Basketball League (FBA), Filoil and a pocket tournament in Taiwan.

The Maroons had already eclipsed their output from the last two seasons where they went 1-27 combined, but Palami stressed UP is far from satisfied.

“As of today, we have improved a hundred percent from last year’s record which is something to be happy about but then again, that’s not our goal. Our goal is to win a lot of games this season and show everybody that with proper management, with handwork and good direction set by us we can make things happen,” he said.

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“That’s the story of the Azkals, that’s the story of the Maroons and I hope we continue to improve.”