With every win, the UE Red Warriors inch closer and closer to ending their 15-year Final Four drought in the UAAP.
Six games into the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, the UE Red Warriors currently sit with a strong 4-2 record for solo third in the standings.
The Red Warriors impressed once again, defeating the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 69-62, on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. This marked UE’s first win over Ateneo since 2015 or Season 78, and team's fourth-straight victory in Season 87.
With just one more game before the end of the first round, coach Jack Santiago couldn’t be more pleased with how his players have performed so far in the season.
“Actually ‘yun ang laging hinihiling sa mga bata na kailangan namin mag-improve ‘yung standings namin kasi these last few games, these are very crucial for us,” Santiago said during the post-game press conference.
“Aside from maganada ‘yung standing mo, also I consider this as positioning na. That’s why as much as possible we want to break away from the pack,” he added.
Coming into Season 87, UE wasn’t considered by many to be among the top teams in the tournament, especially with the departure of superstar guard Rey Remogat.
However, slowly but surely, the Recto-based squad are proving their doubters wrong, inching closer and closer to ending their Final Four drought since 2009.
[ALSO READ: UAAP Season 87 preview: Injury-free UE begins quest to end 15-year Final Four drought]
No one could be more confident than foreign student-athlete Precious Momowei, who finished with 18 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block in 40 minutes against Ateneo.
“I’ve always believed ever since the start of the season. Our number one goal is to make the Final Four and whatever it takes. I think we just have to be consistent and play as a team,” said Momowei.
Of course, the Red Warriors’ success so far this season could be attributed to their work in the offseason.
Several guys have shown their improvements on the court, with Rainer Maga highlighting the positive trajectory for UE players in the win against Ateneo.
Maga had some clutch triples during the Red Warriors' run to turn the tide against the Blue Eagles, leading to the huge victory.
“Nung offseason namin nung pag-start ng January talagang pukpukan na talaga kami sa ensayo kasi si coach [Jack] nag-push talaga samin na gawin namin ‘yung best namin para preparation for the season, so lahat kami may kanya-kanyang tiwala sa mga teammates para makuha namin ‘yung goal na makabalik ulit sa Final Four,” said Maga.
The Red Warriors will look to end the first round with a five-game winning streak as they face the Adamson Soaring Falcons on Sunday, October 6, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.