Dryx Saavedra is raring to make amends in UAAP Season 87 after the FEU Tamaraws squandered being the top-seed last year.
The FEU Tamaraws will be entering UAAP Season 87 with a chip on their shoulder, and none will be feeling it more than veteran hitter Dryx Saavedra.
After entering the Final Four last year as the top seed, the Tamaraws were eliminated in two games by the fourth-ranked UST Golden Spikers, which left a sour taste in the mouth of Saavedra and the rest of the Tamaraws, as they ended up without a podium finish.
Now with the new UAAP season looming in a couple of weeks, Saavedra is looking forward to the chance to make up for it.
“Sobrang ready na [kami] kasi tinatanong ko lagi yung mga teammates ko eh kung excited ba sila sa UAAP season, sinasabi talaga nila sobrang excited. Gusto nila kinabukasan may game na. Gusto nang ilabas kung ano yung pinagensayuhan namin buong offseason,” Saavedra told One Sports during the UAAP Media Day.
“Also, eto yung pinakamatagal na naming pinagprepare-an na liga. Gusto naming bumawi kaya halos lahat samin nagpursigi. Sana hindi namin masayang.”
Saavedra said that it was both a physical and mental adjustment for the whole team.
While the rest of the league tries to catch up with the top half of the standings, Saavedra said that they’ll need to continue pushing to get to the top.
“Siguro sa physical kasi and sa skills, halos lahat [ng team] angat na eh. Kasi sa ibang team, di ka talaga papatalo eh,” said Saavedra.
But more importantly, it was all about changing their mindset and making sure that they don’t get ahead of themselves again.
“Nag-trabaho [rin kami] sa kung ano yung mental aspect ba, kung ano yung mga problems namin kasi siguro kaya pa naman talaga noon lumaban eh,” he said.
“Yun nga lang, yung mental toughness ng isa’t isa, yung eagerness ng bawa’t isa bumaba, and yun nga, hindi maganda yung kinalabasan,” Saavedra added.