Well well well. A 1 point loss against the Fighting Maroons, we’re at 2-4. Some people are frustrated, which is understandable. We could have won or even just got it to overtime if:
a. Melecio didn’t turn the ball over.
b. Joaqui or Balti sank both free throws
c. Jamie Malonzo sank even just one free throw
But I don’t feel too down about the loss, and I’m pretty sure many of you guys reading are too. Because all of us saw great improvements from last game, and that Adamson game was our best game so far then.
DOWNSIDE: Free throws. Some basketball god must have cursed us as this issue has been going on for a decade now. If we made our free throws, we would have had a cushion going into the last minute of the game.
Turnovers. We had turnovers at crucial moments of the game. Needless to say, certain players really need to step up in his offensive tempo. I don’t know if it can be taught but some of our players really need to get “good hands” to capitalize the miscues on the opponent’s defensive schemes.
UPSIDE: rotations were EXCELLENT. Rotation in terms of player substitution, and rotations defensively. The 5 players inside always seem to have the rythm which was missing in our first 4 games. Everyone knew their roles, and the set plays were working. Screens, back doors the offensive set was on point most of the game. On the defensive end, the players clearly had a game plan on how to frustrate Bright and that hampered their offensive flow.
Triumverate of Balti-Melecio-Caracut is our foundation. Our offense clearly goes through them, and all three delivered in today’s game. I’ve never seen Andrei so aggressive offensively in the 5 years he’s played for the Green and White.
Saturday’s matchup against UST is a must win game. Though we’re in this hole right now, we’ve already had the same experience before in 2013. And let’s not forget how that year ended.