UAAP: Flat start, turnovers doom UP in loss to NU

FILE – UP Fighting Maroons. UAAP PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The bad habit of slow starts caught up with University of the Philippines on Wednesday.

UP assistant coach Christian Luanzon, speaking for Goldwin Monteverde, who missed the game due to an urgent family matter, said the Fighting Maroons’ poor start particularly in the second quarter played a big factor in their 80-75 loss to National University.

“I thought we started out flat. I mentioned this in the last game, we want to start the game strong, which we did in the last game. In this game, I thought we started out flat, especially in the second quarter,” said Luanzon after UP suffered its first loss in four games.

The Bulldogs outscored the Maroons, 27-18, in the second period to gain a 50-42 halftime lead.

“We could have given more energy on both ends. But give credit to NU, obviously, they came out more prepared than us. Just pretty much dictated the whole game from start to finish, we’re just playing catch up the whole time, which is usually not good,” he added.

The Fighting Maroons were able to avert their sluggish starts in the past three games with their players displaying grace under pressure when it mattered most. But they couldn’t escape this time against the Bulldogs, who put a dent in the Maroons’ seemingly invincible armor.

“I guess It’s not always a happy ending. There’s a saying that you’re only as good as your last game. And we’re only as good as our last game,” Luanzon said. “We were supposed to do the things we should have done, for example, the turnovers, even in the wins it’s been an issue for us already. It’s something that we would really like to have an adjustment.”

UP committed 27 turnovers, which gave up 25 easy points to NU. The reigning titlist also shot 24-of-62 from the field.

Luanzon hopes for a big bounce-back game from the Fighting Maroons heading into their highly-anticipated finals rematch with the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Sunday.

“Ateneo showed its determination to bounce back from a loss, especially in the second half. It was close in the first half, I was able to watch a little bit of that game and then they led as much as 29,” he said. “Anytime a team loses like that, I hope we have that same hunger since we’re coming off a loss today. Hopefully, we will be able to bounce back on Sunday.

NU and UP are currently in a three-way tie on top with Ateneo, which vented its ire on University of Santo Tomas, 79-52, earlier.