Redemption-seeking UP is treating each game with heightened importance in the 14-game long elimination round of UAAP Season 87.
The UP Fighting Maroons are treating each game of UAAP Season 87 with the same gravity as they aim to regain the crown, having ended their decades-long title drought back in 2022.
After playing two games so far, it has been apparent that last year’s runners-up are gunning to go all out this time around.
Understanding how tight the race for the title can be, UP assistant coach Christian Luanzon said they are not taking any chances, especially after also coming in second two seasons ago.
“Every game there’s a sense of urgency because if you think about the UAAP season, the teams these players face, we prepare pretty much the whole year for 14 games. So, that alone, yung dami ng ensayo namin, yung dami ng games na nilalaro namin, preseason and tulad ng binanggit ni Maimai, abroad, every game obviously is critical,” said Luanzon.
“You lose one game it could change your fate. How many times have we seen that? Like maybe lose a twice-to-beat advantage, not making it to the Final Four, or worse, not getting into the Finals. For us, like I said earlier, every game, critically important.”
Matched up against dark horse Final Four contender in UE, UP pulled out the big guns and put on a show in the first two and a half quarters, leading by as many as 27 points.
[Related: UP Fighting Maroons dismantle UE Red Warriors for share of early UAAP Season 87 lead]
And although the Red Warriors were able to make it a bit interesting later on, the Fighting Maroons still posted a strong victory.
But perhaps more than the strike on the win column, Luanzon underscored the importance of the winning culture and developing good habits for the Fighting Maroons. Day in and day out, if they want to be champions again, UP needs to go all out.
“More than winning tulad nung nasabi ni Harold earlier is working on our habits and working better to have better habits. Whether it’s free throws, you know, or chemistry.” he said.
Free throws in particular were a sore spot for UP in the win over UE, shooting a poor 11-of-27.
While Luanzon said that their coaching staff would definitely work on that, he also wanted to build on some of the more positive sides to their game.
“Hindi lang sa mga negative things but tulad tonight, we had 22 assists compared to nine to UE which obviously worked out well for us. So even with this in terms of moving the ball around, we want to get better at it, if we can get to 25, you know, the next game, or 23, having one more.” said Luanzon.
“If it takes just having one number up more then we’re gonna take it as long as we’re improving. I believe the results will take care of itself.”
Next up on the Maroons’ schedule will be last year’s third placers NU.
After the Bulldogs gave defending champions La Salle a scare in their season opener, Luanzon said that they’ll approach the game with caution as they always do.
[Related: UAAP: Bulldogs face setback as NU big man Mo Diassana suffers season-ending injury]
UP will be prepared for NU, even as the Bulldogs recently suffered a blow to their lineup after a season-ending injury to big man Mo Diassana.
“Well, si coach Jeff [Napa] naman, yung history niya as a coach nung nasa high school pa siya and hanggang dito sa seniors alam naman nating laging palaban yung team niya. So whether or not he has an import or not, obviously, as they’ve proven in the last two games no, even almost beating La Salle and winning earlier, I believe it was come from behind pa, I think they were down by 10 early nung fourth and yet they were able to get that win.” said Luanzon.
“So I think we just have to match that intensity nila, he’s also known obviously for yung diin niya sa execution so we have to match that or even surpass that. Hopefully we could give them a good fight and the result will favor us.” he added.
UP-NU is the marquee matchup for Wednesday, September 18, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Tip off is scheduled at 6:30 p.m.