Allen Ricardo decided to choose optimism over panic as Colegio de San Juan de Letran suddenly found itself in a freefall in NCAA Season 100.
The rookie coach stressed the importance of patience and trust on his players, especially with a young and rebuilding team that they have, following their heartbreaking back-to-back losses to open their second round campaign.
"As their coach, naniniwala ako doon sa kakayanan ng mga bata na malagpasan ‘yung mga challenges na ito and sana habaan niyo pa ‘yung pasensiya niyo," Ricardo said.
"Mabigat din sa akin kasi talagang late ko na sila nahawakan."
[As their coach, I believe in the abilities of the boys, that they can get past these challenges and I hope you have patience... It's difficult for me because I started handling them late.]
Letran exceeded expectations in the first round, picking up six wins in nine games to momentarily enter the Final Four picture alongside Benilde, San Beda, and Mapua with transferee Jimboy Estrada and holdovers Pao Javillonar, Kevin Santos, and Deo Cuajao leading the way for the Knights.
But they seemed to lose their identity, at least in the first two games to kick off the second half of the tournament.
Despite riding momentum and all, the Knights fell prey to Lyceum of the Philippines University in a lopsided 91-68 decision last Friday before losing Estrada to a late-game ejection to bow to University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, 71-61.
Losing games to lower-ranked teams, for Ricardo, is proof to the parity in the league. And they have to adjust as early as now in their bid to return to the Final Four.
"Well siguro, may mga bagay na kailangang ayusin sa tinatawag naming team dynamics. So I'm still optimistic and positive pa rin naman doon sa mga bata. Gano’n talaga, walang perfect game," he added.
"‘Yung mga kalaban din namin, sabi ko nga before the start of the season, ay malakas talaga or nag-improve ang mga teams. Wala talagang kasiguraduhan. Kailangan lang naming mag-regroup."
[I guess there are things that we need to fix, what we call team dynamics. So I'm still optimistic and positive with the boys. It happens, there's no such thing as a perfect game... Our opponents too, I said before the start of the season, they're really strong and all of the teams improved. There are no certainties. We just need to regroup.]
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
