Despite Miller Ong’s last second downtown equalizer in the 4th quarter, the Lady Archers fell short at a choky 62-43 loss in the the team’s preseason campaign to bag the 18th Fr. Martin championship title against the Adamson Lady Falcons.
“Everybody [Lady Archers] just starts to get teary-eyed. It’s a good thing that it [loss] happened now. It made us realize that it is not going to be easy getting to where we want to go,” Head Coach Tyrone Bautista shares.
The team, however, continues to be unaffected by the loss; the team has been working on individual weaknesses since the loss.
Coach Bautista explains that the summer league is about working on weaknesses and experimenting. He says, “What you do here [preseason] does not indicate what you do on the UAAP.”
Suiting up
With the realization, the squad is taking steps to better the team’s game.
Last year’s UAAP number one defensive team, the Lady Archers, boasts a praiseworthy 49 points allowed per game; the team is planning to get even better.
“Our defense, we really take pride on,” Coach Bautista claims. He reasons out that easy basket-like lay-ups, fast break points and second chance points must be eliminated or at least minimized.
On the other hand, offense is a key component in winning games as the main objective in basketball is to get baskets. Coach Bautista is serious in improving the team’s offense.
To address this issue, the team is tryigng to find other players to share the scoring chores with UAAP Season 74 Mythical Five member Abaca.
Moreover, Coach Bautista is looking for a consistent downtown marksman to create a tough inside game and an efficient outside game.
He also shares his optimistic outlook that the empty spots in the team’s offense would be filled by Hannah Viterbo, Tricia Piatos, Nikki Garcia and Miller Ong.
Concerning new recruits, two rookies, Ateneo de Davao University standout Marga Dagdagan and Angelicum College’s Leunoel Dawis, will be joining the team. Coach Bautista assures that the tenderfoots have already started adjusting, and that they would work well with the team.
Setting the trajectory
The team members have expressed their determination to make the final four again for the fourth straight time.
They are hopeful that the team would get at least the top two slot for a twice to beat advantage.
“Our goal right now is to keep on improving until we have the real battle, where all the games really counts, in the UAAP,” Coach Bautista ends.
