After being severely beaten by Ateneo in their last outing, La Salle will face another formidable foe in FEU tomorrow. What better way to bounce back from a horrendous performance than to score a win over the league leading Tamaraws whom they almost upset in their first round encounter? During that game, the Green Archers led for most of the way only to falter in the closing minutes in regulation, and they eventually succumbed only after dragging the heavily favored Tams into double overtime.
The team has shown that they can stand toe-to-toe with the UAAP’s best if they put their mind into it. Unfortunately, such confidence was absent last Sunday when the Archers played their worst basketball so far this season. Slow start, falling behind big early, and unable to mount a sustained comeback, it was like watching their losses in the preseason. If they want to get back in the groove of things, the Archers need to regain the same fire and composure that has allowed them to already surpass last year’s performance.
It will again be a battle of youth vs experience. Our backcourt will have their hands full against the explosive duo of Garcia and Romeo. Expect a lot of physicality underneath with FEU having the advantage in heft and height. Our shooters, particularly Sam need to regain their touch from the outside if we stand a chance to defeat the Tamaraws. The zone has been the teams’ Achilles heel so they need to do well from the perimeter.
Last Sunday’s debacle is history. And if you think about it, put it into the proper perspective, that was just one game. Bragging rights don’t count in the W-L columns, either. So the Green Archers should recoup and set their sights in making a strong push to the final four. After all, when the ball is tossed to start the game tomorrow, the score will be 0-0, and there will be 5 Tams on the floor, just like our starting 5.