UST head coach Haydee Ong. UAAP Media
MANILA – The UST Growling Tigresses may have swept the first round of the UAAP Season 88 women's basketball tournament, but head coach Haydee Ong believes the team needs to stay consistent heading into the next round.
UST maintained a 7-0 record after taking down the UP Fighting Maroons, 75-61, on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
It was all UST in the match with the team leading by as much as 25 points. But UP tried to mount a comeback in the final quarter.
READ: UST women overcome UP for first round sweep
"Salute to UP which gave us a good fight. We need to be more consistent on our games. We cannot play for just two or three quarters and not perform on other quarters because in the fourth, UP scored 25 [points] and we scored 17 points only. But a win is a win," she said in the post-game press conference.
"May mga silver lining pa rin sa games na ganito. Like si Brigette, this is her first blowout game. For the first time our free throws is nine out of nine but I think mas madami pa. Every time naman, whether you win or lose, may learnings pa rin," Ong added.
Brig Santos, who had a huge 26-point game against UP, echoed this sentiment.
"Being consistent po all the time. Kasi complacent kami eh. Once nakalamang kami, parang nag-rerelax kami. Yun ang problem namin. [Kailangan] maging consistent kami," she said.
The UST bench tactician believes her wards needed to experience this match to prepare them for the second round.
"Of course second round would be more tougher than the first round. I'm just happy meron kaming seven wins right now. At the start of the season naman, it's far beyond my mind naman na we're gonna sweep the season. We treat it one game at a time pa rin," Ong added.
"Hopefully we keep the winning streak but we're gonna work hard pa rin for every win in the second round," she said.
Ong reminded the team to keep a competitive and tough mindset heading into each game.
"I think it's all on the mental side nung mga players because for me and for the coaches naman, we always wanted for them to give their best. Yun lang siguro, constantly reminding them, even if you have a bad offense, you won't have a bad defensive day," she said.
"Sometimes yung kalaban nila yung sarili nila eh. How they will perform and how they play as a team recently. I think nasa mga bata na yan," Ong added.
UST will stake its unbeaten record against the DLSU Lady Archers on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
UP will begin the second round against the FEU Lady Tamaraws on Sunday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavillion.