Multi-titled head coach Ramil De Jesus urged his La Salle players to take their learnings from a stinging opening-day loss in UAAP Season 87 to the NU Lady Bulldogs.
Ramil De Jesus has gone through enough success and failures with the DLSU Lady Spikers to understand that there is something to gain in every training, every game — whether it results in a win or a loss.
That is, even when his team suffers a beating, there is still one thing that the Lady Spikers can walk away with: lessons on how to improve.
After suffering a rare opening-day loss in their first game of UAAP Season 87 against defending champions NU, De Jesus admitted that it was a tough pill to swallow — especially for him who rarely lost a game to open a new UAAP season.
[RELATED: Bella Belen, champion NU Lady Bulldogs assert status with sweep of UAAP rival La Salle]
But with his youngsters still adjusting to the UAAP environment, the usually stone-faced head coach was a little more understanding.
“Expected ko na ‘to na ano, na medyo kakalog ‘yung setter ko kasi bata pa eh. Wala (pang) experience, first time sa UAAP, so inaantay ko lang na… sabi ko nga sa kanya, ‘yung first game maiintindihan ko,” De Jesus told reporters after the loss.
“Pero sa susunod na game hindi na first game ‘yun so medyo stable na (dapat). Hopefully, next game namin stable na ‘yung setter namin,” he added.
La Salle is currently adjusting to the departure of Julia Coronel, who has since turned professional in the PVL, with the likes of Julyana Tolentino and Micole Reyes stepping up to the plate.
Though far from ideal in their first dive into UAAP Season 87, De Jesus believes that it gives them a push in the right direction, but only if his players learn how to accept what went wrong against the Lady Bulldogs.
“Sabi ko sa kanila, wala namang natatalo sa game eh. Basta alam mong (kahit) natalo ka, natuto ka. ‘Yun ang importante eh, natalo ka (pero) natuto ka. Pero kung natalo ka tapos wala kang natutunan, talagang talo ka nun,” said De Jesus.
“Importante natalo ka pero may natutunan ka sa pagkatalo mo and ready kang i-correct ‘yan sa susunod na mga games.”
Already suffering birth pains so early on in the season, De Jesus also challenged his players to keep pushing, in the hopes of getting better as the year goes on.
After a third place finish last year, La Salle hopes to do just enough to get them into a position to compete deep into the season.
“Sabi ko nga sa mga bata ang totoong laban kapag umabot ka na ng Finals. Hindi dito sa eliminations. Importante lang eh igapang natin na makapasok sa top-two or top-four, and then doon siguro unti-unti ng magkakaroon ng kumpyansa mga bata kapag umabot sa ganung punto,” he said.
De Jesus’ La Salle will have their first chance for a bounce back when the Lady Spikers face the Adamson Lady Falcons on Saturday, February 22, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.