Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
As painful as National University’s 57-56 defeat to Far Eastern University was on Sunday, NU coach Eric Altamirano is hopeful the experience would serve as a lesson for the young Bulldogs in learning how to close out games with UAAP Season 79 now in the second round.
“It was a heartbreaker for us. We weren’t able to get it done again in closing the game out,” he said. “We missed our free throws, we turned the ball over, those were the breaks of the game. I hope sana in the coming games, di na kami umabot sa ganoong situation.”
NU lost an 11-point lead and floundered in the clutch, which saw it go 2-of-6 from the line in the final three minutes, on top of committing costly turnovers which took the life out of the Bulldogs.
“We could have done something more to give us cushion going to the crucial parts of the fourth quarter,” said the mentor.
Altamirano, though, thinks close games will also help his team in the long run.
“Looking at it at a brighter side, we need these games to develop our character. I hope moving forward, yung mga ganitong klaseng games, although it’s painful, will help us be mature and be able to handle those type of situations,” he said. “Yung maturation, it’s a process eh. Siguro growing pains yan sa team na ito.”
And Altamirano is also positive that sooner or later, leaders will emerge from his hungry Bulldogs crew as they try to be more mature on the court.
“Experience talaga yan. Obviously, wala kaming experienced players. We don’t have the luxury of having a Gelo Alolino. Hopefully, may mag-step up na leaders sa mga bagong players,” he said.