Ateneo’s Kacey Dela Rosa.–UAAP PHOTO
Ateneo just strung up a first winning streak in Season 87 of the UAAP women’s basketball tournament after a 90-62 manhandling of University of the East (UE) which would have gotten any coach happy at the end.
But not LA Mumar, who has a very good reason to be seen throwing a fit on the sidelines in the third period.
“We want to have good habits. When we were up, we were kinda loose with the ball so we were committing a lot of turnovers,” Mumar told the Inquirer after Ateneo led by as many as 31 points on Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. “Then we were complaining to the referees.
“We want our girls to be more accountable, so that we don’t blame the referees,” Mumar said of the right mindset that the Eagles should play with. “We just have to be strong and protect the basket.”
After a roller-coaster start, the Blue Eagles improved to 4-2, after their first back-to-back wins this season as Ateneo is slowly establishing itself as a solid Final Four contender.
It may be quite the nitpick to rue over turnovers when Ateneo committed just as many as UE did—22—and allowed the Lady Warriors to score just six points off them.
But a lot of that frustration is baked into the anxiety over the team’s next game.
The litmus test of the Eagles’ newfound confidence will be against unbeaten National University to close out the first round. And the Lady Bulldogs are No. 2 in. the league in turning errors into points, averaging a little over 19 points per game.
That’s why Mumar wants to address that.
“We had a lot of turnovers. That’s really it,” Mumar explained. “They (Eagles) were like relaxing a little bit. We’re not that good [a team] to be relaxing. We want to play [hard for] 40 minutes. That’s what got on my nerves.”
Twin towers
Mumar was also open as to his squad’s strength: The twin towers of reigning MVP Kacey dela Rosa and Sarah Makanjuola, who once again led the Eagles with mammoth contributions.
Dela Rosa finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks while Makanjuola contributed 14 points, 17 rebounds, 10 coming off the offensive glass. She also had three blocks and a pair of steals.
“When we say inside-inside-inside-out team, what we mean is we play off how the defense plays us. So if they’re really packing on the two (Dela Rosa and Makanjoula), then we need to hit some shots [from the outside]. But the foundation of the team is really those twin towers,” Mumar said.
“And then we play off them with wide open threes, wide open lanes because of the two of them,” he went on. “Even if I don’t say it, our opponents know that that’s what we’ll do so we just have to learn how to play off it, I think that’s the key.”
Although his roster is made up mostly of rookies in the backcourt in tending to the chores left by Jhazmin Joson, Mumar’s guards are slowly getting their rhythm both in playmaking and making wise shot-decisions.
Kailah Oani had her best game of the season with 13 points.
“[Oani] was just nervous at the start. She still is. But I think what’s good about her is she’s really hardworking with a good mindset,” said Mumar. “She’s not very emotional, she’s very even-keeled.
“And that’s the exciting part with Kai. There’s so much more, we’re just trying not to pressure her to replace somebody,” said Mumar.