Jose Rizal University's past games in the ongoing NCAA Season 97 men's basketball tournament have been gloomy as they lost all outings to slump into the cellar with a 0-5 win-loss card.
But head coach Louie Gonzales said that after a defeat, they were quick to shrug it off and move forward.
That mindset was what steered the Heavy Bombers in their 74-68 upset of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde on Tuesday, ending the Blazers' four-game winning run.
"'Di ba puro kami talo dito pero 'yung effort tsaka 'yung commitment sa practice didn't change," Gonzales shared as they finally put an end to their losing slide.
"After every game namin, even after a hard loss, talagang derecho pa rin kami sa weights room kasi ang target is the process. The target is development."
Gonzales also paid tribute to his players who have been enduring living away from their families as they are currently holding their training in a bubble set-up, a league mandate as the country continues to battle COVID-19.
"'Yung campaign kasi namin is really beyond basketball kaya sabi ko sa kanila, 'yung integrity ng team natin is intact," he shared.
"When we started training, talagang sinunod namin 'yung protocol. Ang pinakamalaking challenge talaga is how you will convince them na we will be fine basta't sinusunod natin yung rules and regulations."
Gonzales said that all these sacrifices are the ingredients of winning: "Kung ang goal namin is winning, we need to develop ourselves."
—JMB, GMA News
