UAAP: Even at 6-0, UP Fighting Maroons told to ‘not play the score’

The UP Fighting Maroons are looking as dominant as ever as they head to their final game in Round 1 of UAAP Season 87 this weekend. In their first six games, the Katipunan squad won with double-digit margins.

Touted as the season favorites along with defending champions De La Salle Green Archers, UP has flexed its superiority with the rest of the field – their most recent win coming at the expense of the UST Growling Tigers on Wednesday, 81-70.

But with more than a few challenges along the way to their spotless record, UP coach Christian Launzon said that it hasn’t been all rainbows and sunshine for the Fighting Maroons.

“Siguro from you guys, from the crowd, the outside looking in, it looks like not a close game from the final score. From the coaches on the sideline, parang feeling namin close game lagi eh… By the numbers, we’ve won by double figures and this is something that you know, we reminded the players no that not to play the score,” Luanzon said.

“We’ve seen it happen twice already, starting with the UE game and the FEU game. We were up by as much as 26 and then it was brought down to I think 11 or 10. So, that’s the last thing that you want whether you have a big lead or not.”

The warnings also seem to cover not just letting opponents back in later in the game, but also slow starts – which were apparent in their last two games against UST and Adamson.

Against the Soaring Falcons, the Fighting Maroons were behind by more than 20 points, before staging a fierce fight back in the second half. Rather than focusing on how high they can push their advantage, the Fighting maroons are tasked to focus on one thing – whatever the score is when the final buzzer sounds.

After all, they don’t need a blowout every game to win the championship.

“One thing that Coach Gold [Monteverde] always mentioned, and that we mentioned here already, is that, obviously, it only takes one point to win a game. It also takes one point to lose a game,” said the tactician.

“So, the meaning of that is ang ineemphasize namin sa kultura dito sa UP is valuing each possession — regardless of who we play. That’s why yung preparation namin, whether it’s a team that is on top of the standings or a team that’s below the standings, the preparation is always the same,” he added.

But the Fighting Maroons are headed to what is possibly their biggest challenge of the season, as they face last year’s tormentors La Salle in the closer of Round 1 on Sunday.

Greeted by the tall task of guarding reigning MVP Kevin Quiambao and his fellow veteran Mike Phillips, Launzon said that UP will simply prepare to the best of their ability.

“You know, [it will be] just like how we prepare for any other team. Obviously, we’re gonna watch yung games nila, all six games nila and we’re gonna practice that in the next few days. Ang importante is mamatch namin yung effort nila.” he said.

“Alam naman natin na ang La Salle, every time they step out on the court, particularly their bigs, si KQ at si Phillips, if you fail to match yung effort na binibigay nila sa loob, on both ends, we’re gonna be on the latter part and we don’t want that. I think that’s what’s important papasok ng laro na yun more than the Xs and Os.” he continued.

UP-La Salle concludes Round 1 of UAAP Season 87 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.