Though La Salle is just a game above .500 (5-4), they currently have sole possession of 3rd place in the standings. But their lead over the teams in the middle of the pack is so slim that if they won’t be careful, they can see themselves quickly fall behind in the race for a berth in the final four. In a tightly contested season so far, every game for them at this point must be played with a sense of urgency.
No need to dwell on their previous match. We are confident that the coaching staff shall make the necessary adjustments in order for the players not to commit the same lapses on offense.
Ok, now on to the next opponent. From being the number one team entering the second round, FEU has fallen to fourth after suffering from three-straight setbacks with an average losing margin of 14 points. Of course, the absence of their leading scorer Arvin Tolentino (2-game suspension) and center Prince Orizu (injury) played a large part in those losses. With Tolentino and possibly Orizu returning for tomorrow’s encounter, the Green Archers will have their hands full if the Tamaraws begin to hit their stride once again.
In their first round meeting, La Salle managed to hang tough despite losing rookie Taane Samuel in the 2nd quarter due to an in-game injury. With both teams going toe-to-toe, FEU proved to be steadier team down the stretch as they escaped with a 7-point win.
After the first round, the Green Archers’ defense and team ball has significantly improved. We can expect them to match-up better against the Tamaraws this time around. If Orizu will not play in this one, we can expect the team to aggressively attack the paint, capitalizing on their opponent’s thin frontline.
They may be struggling now but FEU is still better than what their record shows. We can count on them to go hard tomorrow so La Salle needs to play almost perfect basketball if they are come out on top. Let’s just hope that team gets to make their shots here especially from the foul line.
With five games left in the eliminations, it’s time for the team to play consistently on both ends as they make serious push to the semis.
Their fate is very much in their own hands.