The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons may have suffered their loss this season against the Far Eastern University Tamaraws last Sunday but substitute coach Ricky Dandan is not disappointed and is still satisfied at how the team stood up against the Tams when they lost in overtime, 79-82.
Dandan, who is subbing for suspended coach Bo Perasol, will be around when the Fighting Maroons clash with the University of the East Warriors at 4 p.m. today in the 82nd University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“We can’t be satisfied. We’re in the middle of the tournament already. We didn’t get the win, so we’ll go back to the drawing board and prepare very hard for UE,” said Dandan.
The Fighting Maroons are still in second spot with their 5-3 win-loss record, behind the unbeaten Ateneo Blue Eagles.
They will again bank on the big games of Kobe Paras, who chipped in 22 points the last time around.
The Warriors (3-6) will seek to bounce back from their 73-101 loss to the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers.
Earlier, the Adamson Falcons will meet the National University Bulldogs at 2 p.m.
Dandan said the team showed character when they fought their way back from 16 points.
“That’s their potential that showed. We were down what, sixteen or seventeen points? And they made a run, made a game out of it. They could have just easily given up—they could have easily done that, but no. They chose to fight and make the game out of it, they forced overtime. And it was just breaks of the game (that cost us) in overtime,” added Dandan.
The Bulldogs, who won over the Tams, 85-79, last Wednesday, are banking on the big games of Dave Ildefonso.