we lost again, dammit. and to our arch rivals, no less. pakshet.

the first half of the game was okay. we were down by 5 pts and it certainly was not a lead figure to worry about. it was a running game. kung sinong unang pipikit, siyang talo. at the halftime break, i told tetet and ninio (who, like me and a great number of others, took a leave from work to watch the game) that all the team needed to do was to get fired up and gain more confidence enough to take the lead by the end of the 3rd canto so they could concentrate on following it through at the last quarter as they did with their win against feu.

but no! the exact opposite just happened. i just don't get it! the blue eagles have awesome talent but their tenacity wavers down when they start to falter execution after execution at a time the archers would eventually build its breakaway. it has almost always been a mental game between the two and it's so frustrating to see our team intimidated and rattled. it showed when they played such LOUSY DEFENSE as they did yesterday, not to mention wasting those free throws that should have kept us alive while trying to gain back that doggedness to win.

the team should have attacked from the inside. they should have driven more and driven hard. kayang-kaya naman e. getting points from the arc is well and dandy pero kung di naman hot ang perimeter shooters, wag na kasi pilitin. besides, mas nakaka-build pa ng confidence sa team when they get to sink the ball in from the shaded lane.

be that as it may, i just have to mention one unforgettable moment. (no, it's not arana's taunting dance. that's something expected from the gallery, not from a player!) it was that "in your face!" double-handed dunk by japeth over big men cabatu and aquino early in the first quarter. that was just spectacular! maierhofer's double-handed slam on a fastbreak in the second half, though spectacular also in itself, paled in comparison.

oh well. the season is not over yet. we're still part of the final four. the path to the finals just got steep.

to my beloved blue eagles, there's no turning back now. we have to win two consecutive games to get to the finals. and in order to win, let us do the things we were willing to do in our winning streak this season but unfortunately not in both dlsu elimination games: SINK those charities, RUN back to set up defense instead of jogging, COVER the passing lanes and DIVE for those loose balls! it doesn't matter who we face next. we must keep our eye on the ball and our mind on the championship goal.

personally, i'd rather we get to face the archers again, if only to validate our winning the finals should the Lord grant it to us. revenge could be oh so sweet. :) let's go, ateneo!