Coming off another upsetting loss last Wednesday, the Green Archers will head off to Antipolo City today to clash with the Adamson Falcons. With a 1-3 record, the team is already experiencing its worst season start in recent memory. They need to do whatever it takes to avoid another setback that would sink them even deeper in the standings.
The Falcons are heading into this match fresh from a confidence-boosting, come-from-behind win over UST. Down by 7 in final minutes, they closed out the match on a 16-0 run. Adamson and UST are currently tied for 3rd with a 3-2 slate.
What to Watch For
Offensive Woes. It was a bad shooting day for the Green and White against FEU. They were only able to score 55 points after averaging 80 in their first three games. Collectively, they shot just 31% from the field and 30% from the foul line. If their offense goes cold once again today, they will be in trouble especially against a hot-shooting Adamson squad.
Defense Please. “Bakit po ang (Insert Opposing Team) and dali ng basketball? Walang problema sa kanila maka shoot” – this is probably what many of us are thinking especially in the last two matches.
We have stressed this before, the team’s defense has been nothing less than dreadful, making scoring look so easy for their opponents. They better get their act together on this area pronto.
The Bench. Only 9 Green Archers got to see more than 10 minutes of action against FEU. Not sure why the coaching staff stuck to a short rotation but I feel they need to maximize their bench. Jordan Bartlet, Ralph Cu and Joel Cagulangan – all the guys who played well in the preseason were not fielded in.
Playing Desperate Basketball. The Good News: Despite their 2-game skid, the Green Archers are just a game and half behind Adamson and UST. The Bad News: They got UP and UST this coming week. With the way things are going, some are predicting La Salle to finish the first round at 1-6.
Losing another game is no longer an option for now and team has to step up before it’s too late.
The pressure is on for La Salle. Let’s see how they will respond today.