Defending champions UST Growling Tigresses want to improve their mentality with two games left in the elimination round of UAAP Season 87.
The UST Growling Tigresses are left wanting when it comes to mental integrity with only two games left in the elimination round of UAAP Season 87, according to assistant coach Ged Austria.
After a so-so 84-62 win over the UE Lady Warriors on Saturday, Austria said that they still have to work on zeroing in on their winner’s mindset especially after slacking off in their first three quarters.
At 10-2, Austria said that their players have become complacent — a quality they don’t want to follow them into the Final Four.
“Hinahanap namin, first of all, kasi nga coming from a loss. Pero maganda 'yung record, dapat hindi kami kampante. And of course, mental toughness pa rin. Kasi knowing na isa ka sa nasa taas, tendency talaga 'yung mag-relax,” said Austria, filling in for UST head coach Haydee Ong who begged off from the interview.
“So dapat andoon pa rin 'yung mindset niyo na taking it one day at a time, always sticking to the process no matter what the end result. So kung ano 'yung task at hand, 'yun 'yung gawin. Hindi pwede isipin kung ano 'yung repercussions, o kung ano man 'yung consequences.”
The Growling Tigresses were on opposite sides of the standings against the Lady Warriors — with UE already eliminated from Final Four contention and have been cellar dwellers in the past few years.
But even UST star scorer Kent Pastrana admitted that there was something wrong in how they approached the game.
Rather than stay true to their identity in UST, the players went down to the level of their foes. With an uphill battle to the title looming — considering that they were swept 0-2 in their season series against NU — there is much more to work on.
“Siguro sa game namin ngayon, parang kampante [kami]. 'Yun 'yung nakita ko ngayon. So, alam ko naman na may ilalabas pa sila. May ilalabas pa kami, kung ano 'yung laro talaga ng UST,” said Pastrana.
“Kasi, 'yun nga, parang hindi ganun 'yung laro ng UST sa mga game na 'yun. Hopefully, sa mga next game namin, kailangan namin ilabas kung ano 'yung laro talaga ng UST, and kailangan namin mag-work as a team and sa defense na talaga,” she added.
The Growling Tigresses will especially need their A-game back when they go up against the Adamson Lady Falcons, who remain within striking distance of a twice-to-beat advantage in the semis.
With their first round encounter going down to the wire, Austria said that they’ll be hard pressed to prepare well for their next foes.
“Going back to what I said, mental toughness. Kailangan talaga, mentally prepared ka. Kasi you can be physically good, you can be good at skills, you can be athletic, pero kung wala sa tamang hulog 'yung isip mo, duon nagkakagulo. Knowing Adamson, of course, they’re a good team, they’re a great team. Also very very tough team, we can’t deny that,” he said.
“So we have to prepare. At least we have a week of preparation at saka to make adjustments from our game sa round one, Kasi 'yung round one, girian din 'yun eh. Muntik muntikan rin. So 'yun, we have to adjust. For now, we have know na 'di gaano kaganda 'yung nilaro namin, but we shouldn’t dwell on it. Kailangan alam namin pero 'di dapat namin masyadong dibdibin,” he continued.
The Growling Tigresses battle the Adamson Lady Falcons in a key match for the semis in the women’s tournament on Saturday, November 16, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.