UAAP: UE looks to overcome pressure with Final Four within reach

UE Red Warriors’ coach Jack Santiago during a UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball game against UP Fighting Maroons. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — University of the East coach Jack Santiago believes pressure got the better of his wards as they ended the elimination round with five straight losses in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.

UE, led by Precious Momowei and Jack Cruz-Dumont, couldn’t capitalize on its strong start and failed to outright secure the last Final Four berth with a 77-67 loss to the No.2 seed University of the Philippines on Wednesday at FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.

“We wanted to win yung game so we could say that we entered Final Four because we won, not because we simply waited for the results of the other games on Saturday. Hopefully, we will be ready,” said Santiago.

READ: Warriors have hard or longer way to make UAAP Final Four

The Red Warriors, though, are assured of a playoff for the last Final Four ticket with a 6-8 elimination round finish and their fate depends on the final elimination game of the season between Adamson Falcons (5-8) and also-ran Ateneo Blue Eagles (4-9) on Saturday.

If Ateneo beats Adamson, the Red Warriors advance to the post-elimination round for the first time since 2009. If Adamson wins, the Falcons and Red Warriors clash in a knockout game for the right to face the top seed and twice-to-beat La Salle in the Final Four.

John Abate, one of the UE Red Warriors’ top guys, during a UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

From starting the season with a 5-2 first-round record to falling into a dangerous slump, Santiago admitted that the pressure got the young Red Warriors side.

“I don’t see any problems within the team. The relationship between the players and the coaches is good. Maybe it’s because the players are experiencing this kind of situation for the first time. Most of them are still young, and we only have a few veterans. Going into the second round, I think they felt the pressure, especially since we’ve been losing,” said the UE coach.

READ: UAAP: UE Red Warriors with back to zero mentality in second round

“It’s a big struggle for them. We need the young players to just relax. They seem to be straying away from the system. Of course, they want to help, but sometimes you can see that some players are forcing their shots. We’ve lost our extra passes and some of the team effort. We just need to get past this hurdle,” he added.

Santiago, though, is focusing on what the Red Warriors need to do next instead of what they should have done with a return to the Final Four hanging in the balance.

“Honestly, we’re not talking about that anymore because I see that it puts too much pressure on the boys, knowing they only need a couple more wins. Imagine, we finished 5-2 in the first round. We already knew that reaching seven wins would put us in a good spot,” he said. “Maybe that’s why this feels new for the boys. For how many years, this is probably the longest and the best record UE has had.”

But despite the disadvantage, Santiago is confident that his team has what it takes to take what started as a magical run in Season 87 deeper in the post season.

“I never lose hope. I know my players very well. Right now, we just need to embrace everything,” said Santiago.

“I can see it in the boys. It’s going to be a different UE team come playoffs or Final Four. When you’re in the Final Four, it’s 0-0 again. There’s no more number 1 or number 4. The only advantage is the twice-to-beat, but for me, everything resets, and it’s anybody’s ball game. We just need to get over that hump.”