Eagles get through loss, brace for one last flight
As they’ve been doing all year long, the Ateneo Blue Eagles have quickly recovered from the trauma of Game Two meltdown, trusting the tested mental approach will again bear fruit in the most important game of UAAP Season 80 men’s basketball tourney.
Despite bungling their golden opportunity to wrap up the championship following a monumental collapse in the second half that allowed rival La Salle to steal Game Two, 92-83, and force a decider on Sunday, there’s no ruing the bungled bid to wrap it up.
“We got rid of that loss in the locker room after the game. We moved on. We have a Game Three and that’s all we think about,” said AdMU coach Tab Baldwin.
“We won’t think about Game Two. La Salle didn’t think about (their) Game One (loss), they came out and played (in Game Two). We won’t think about Game Two; it’s winner takes all now,” the Kiwi-American mentor stressed.
After opening the title series with a thrilling 79-76 win, Ateneo came out firing in the second game and seemed on its way to dethroning La Salle when it seized a 21 point lead in the first half. But their hot performance soured immensely especially in the third period and the backagainst-the-wall Archers were quick to pounce.
“La Salle did a good job of finding their feet after we had a great start,” noted Baldwin. “Once they had their feet, we lost ours and we couldn’t really come back.”
“I guess it’s a real lesson for us that it’s not over til it’s over,” said AdMU’s Thirdy Ravena. “We had a 21-point lead but we got complacent when they rallied. I feel like we weren’t tough enough to handle the situation. But you know that happens and we’re going to prepare for everything that’s coming in Game Three.”
Ateneo feels it’s equipped to handle a high-stakes, door-die having gone through a similar situation in the Final Four against Far Eastern and emerging victorious.
“I think it helps and hopefully it will be enough to be one of the factors that helps us get across the finish line on Sunday,” said Baldwin.