UP Preventing Maroons’ Aldous Torculas within the UAAP Season 86 males’s basketball sport in opposition to FEU Tamaraws. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.internet
College of the Philippines took its goal a step farther after sealing a spot within the Ultimate 4. The Maroons are actually chasing a twice-to-beat incentive within the UAAP Season 86 males’s basketball match.
And there’s just one manner they’ll obtain that: Preserve pounding.
“Coach Gold reminds his gamers … ‘maintain pounding.’ All all through the sport he was reminding the gamers that the house run performs received’t be captured with only one pound,” mentioned UP assistant Christian Luanzon.
“We’re simply taking this one sport and follow at a time. We all know what’s at stake and final sport it clinched our closing 4 spot. Now, we’ve one other aim,” Luanzon added.
The Maroons are all in in the case of the subsequent aim of their to-do record, a dedication cast since early this yr.
“They’ve been dedicated since Jan. 15. That’s after we began coaching after ending on Dec. 19 final yr, so it was simply just about a month off then we had coaching and preseason tournaments,” Luanzon recalled.
“From a dedication standpoint, they’re there. They’re all the time reminded that it’s greater than the attendance but in addition the psychological half in execution on each ends. Whether or not it’s our units on offense or protection, it requires a excessive degree of focus for these gamers and that’s the dedication they’re displaying on the ground to execute them.”
Stepping up
On Saturday, the Maroons discovered one other participant to assist maintain that pounding—and obtain their aim.
Aldous Torculas got here up with a career-high 13 factors whereas including 5 rebounds and two steals to offer the additional spark within the Maroons’ 81-64 victory over the Far Jap U Tamaraws at Good Araneta Coliseum that pushed UP nearer to gaining playoff safety within the semifinals.
“I really feel blessed and really, I’m simply being affected person and I’m simply doing my position in serving to the workforce so I’m simply going to maintain doing what I’m doing, one sport at a time,” mentioned the second-year ahead.
“I didn’t consider it a lot; I’m simply targeted on our aim and the workforce and naturally, it boosts our confidence and we’ll be bringing that confidence each sport.”
UP led solely by seven at halftime in opposition to the Tamaraws however opened the third quarter with a 14-7 run that doubled the hole and despatched FEU out of the operating for a Ultimate 4 berth.
The Maroons, in the meantime, took their tenth win in 12 video games and remained on prime of the standings, with Nationwide U respiration down their necks.
The Bulldogs have been taking part in at press time.
“The benefit of our state of affairs is, future’s nonetheless in our fingers so we’ll handle enterprise within the subsequent two video games and the twice-to-beat [advantage] is clearly, no query, the main target,” Luanzon mentioned.
Francis Lopez completed 12 factors and 9 boards, whereas Harold Alarcon additionally poured in 11 factors of his personal.
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Graduating guard LJay Gonzales led FEU with a game-high 20 factors. Jorick Bautista scattered 17 and 5 rebounds.