Lyceum of the Philippines University head coach Gilbert Malabanan said that there is no room for complacency even after pulling off an NCAA Season 99 opening day upset of last season's finalist De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde on Sunday.
Malabanan admitted that the absence of reigning MVP Will Gozum from the Blazers bench was a big factor.
But the third year mentor said a win is still a win, giving credit to his players who picked it up in the second half en route to an 85-81 comeback victory.
Malabanan also said the win was extra sweet as they were not able to beat the Blazers in the previous season.
"'Yun din 'yung isa sa motivations namin e kasi nga nanggigigil din sila nung first half kasi last year hindi talaga kami nanalo sa Benilde. Pero the good thing is nanalo kami sa first game pa," Malabanan said.
"Pero hindi naman kami pwedeng maging confident kasi unang-una wala naman si Will Gozum doon e."
("That was one of our motivations because we were raring to do well in the first half because last year, we coudn't beat Benilde. But the good thing is we won even in the first game... But we can't just be confident because, first of all, Will Gozum was not there.")
"But a win is a win."
The Pirates struggled in the first half, going 1-of-13 from the three-point area as the Blazers took a 45-37 lead after the first two quarters with Benilde's Migs Oczon and Miggy Corteza leading the way for the Taft crew.
But LPU's key players like JM Bravo, Enoch Valdez, and Shawn Umali took charge in the second half to wrest control before the Blazers rallied in the final seconds.
The Pirates, though, held off the Blazers to complete the victory.
"Honestly, isa lang naman sinabi ko sa mga players namin, kasi nung first half talagang flat ‘yung mga players namin, na hindi naman natatapos ‘yung laro ng first half lang," Malabanan added.
"Medyo binago lang namin ‘yung game plan namin, that’s why nakuha namin ‘yung first win today."
("Honestly, I just told the players one thing, because in the first half, our players just came out flat, we said that the game doesn't end in the first half... We just changed our game plan and that's why we got the first win today.")
Watch the airing of the game on Monday afternoon on GTV and livestream on NCAA Philippines and GMA Sports PH platforms.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
