Patience is a virtue that always produces good results.
(May I sneak in this good news. There was great rejoicing among the ranks of Ginebra fans and supporters after the Kings – starring naturalization candidate Justine Brwonlee – dealt the Bay Area Dragonsits first loss in 5 games, 111-93 Sunday.)
Exactly what the Green Archers displayed last Sunday in their intense duel against their archrival Blue Eagles whom they had not beaten since five years ago when the latter were the ruling elite in the UAAP wars.
Singularly, I could say it was Schonny Winston who took matters in his own hands as his teammates played catch up all throughout.
Winston, in his senior year, displayed the maturity that coach Derek Pumaren expected of him, pouring in the pair of consecutive baskets that La Salle needed to cushion its 83-78 victory over arch rival ADMU last Sunday.
Calm, cool and collected, Winston punctured the tough defense of Ateneo to register a game high 25 points that towed De La Salle to a 2-1 win loss mark.
With that sorry upset, Ateneo’s “invincible” armor has been pierced, despite the yeoman’s performance of seven footer center Ange Koame (22 pts) who provided the leadership after key Ateneans have graduated to the pro ranks.
My initial bold prediction that DLSU and UP could figure out in the championship may already be shaping up.
Only UP remains unbeaten in three starts.
But the Fighting Maroons have been struggling.
They still lack cohesiveness. Their point guards are rattled when a pressure trapping defense is employed by their rivals like what La Salle and FEU previously did. They discovered La Salle was a tough nut to crack in the opening games of the 85th UAAP season.
FEU almost – but not quite – upended UP but the breaks did not go the Tamaraws’ way.
Gilas member Carl Tamayo ably proved his reliability even as his teammates were getting rattled.
Of course, UP and Ateneo still have to confront each other in this first round schedule while DLSU will be watching from the sidelines.
Without disparaging the credibility of the other collegiate bench strategists including the much heralded Tab Baldwin, Pumaren’s long and checkered coaching experience in the pros and collegiate levels are definitely a big plus for the Taf-avenue-based squad.
A three-cornered scramble for the UAAP trophy has now emerged unlike much earlier seasons when the rivalry was just between Ateneo and La Salle.
But make no mistake about it.
Lest it be ignored, UP is today the standard by which DLSU and Ateno must measure their respective on-court performances. (Email feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
