JRU Head coach Vergel Meneses.
After Jose Rizal U stumbled to a second straight defeat, coach Vergel Meneses could not hide his disappointment with the way his wards has been performing this early in NCAA Season 92.
“Ilagay nyo sa headline, ‘Attitude.’ Yung mga players ko, walang pride,” he said as he quickly left the Heavy Bombers dugout.
And Meneses has every right to feel such.
In JRU’s first game, the Heavy Bombers lost control late and fell to Mapua, 74-71. Their woes were compounded by the fact that a hobbling Bright Akhuetie still imposed his might as Perpetual handed them a 58-50 defeat on Friday.
“Sana man lang naka-isa,” said Tey Teodoro. “Nakaka-frustrate lang ngayon. Sobrang galit na sa amin ni coach Vergel kasi di nya expected ito.”
The sharp shooter understands their coach’s frustration over JRU’s underwhelming start to this season from its Final 4 finish last year.
“Nakayuko na lang kami lahat. Galit na galit pa si coach sa import namin. Si Bright, injured na pero sya pa rin yung dahilan kung bakit kami natalo,” he said. “Talagang pinaghandaan namin yung game na ito. Yung opening game, talagang minsan, nabibigla talaga. Pero dito, talagang handa kami pero wala, talo pa rin kami.”
Teodoro knows that the Heavy Bombers have to wake up quick if they want to avoid last season’s mistakes where they had to hustle late in the eliminations just to make it to the playoffs.
“Mahirap maghabol sa huli. Kailangan pumunto talaga kami. Parang last year na naman, galing kami sa baba,” he said. “Talagang kailangan sa mga natitirang laro sa first round, kahit maka-anim sana kami na panalo.”
Fortunately, JRU will have an 11-day break to fix its woes before returning to the court on July 12 against St. Benilde.
Teodoro is hopeful that with that long of a break, the Heavy Bombers can regroup and finally notch their first win of the season.
“Sanay na kami na nagagalit sa amin si coach,” he said. “Di nya lang inexpect na ganito ang mangyayari sa amin sa loob. Kaya naman sya nagagalit sa amin kasi may dahilan.”