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PASAY--La Salle may have secured the first seat to the UAAP men's basketball finals.
Ironically, however, Coach Aldin Ayo expressed to the media at the Mall of Asia Arena his unease after the Wednesday night semifinal win against Adamson.
"That was a horrible game for us. [It's] very unfortunate for us na mangyayari ito sa Final Four," Ayo said.
On why he found the Green Archers' performance horrible, Ayo explained, "We did not execute our game plan, and pare, nakaka-bad trip. I was very disappointed."
La Salle, despite making 44 percent of its baskets, assisted on only three of its 24 made shots while committing 26 turnovers.
As per Pong Ducanes, the three dimes of La Salle the entire Final Four game matched the single-game record for the lowest number of assists for a team since he became the league's chief statistician in 2003. It is also the lowest ever for a winning team.
Regarding the unpleasant assist-turnover ratio, Ayo said, "Pusoy kami doon."
Despite the said ugly stats plus the atrocious perimeter game (1-of-14 from three-point land), the Green Archers somehow found a way to survive the Soaring Falcons' upset bid.
"Siguro natalo lang namin sila sa dasal," Ayo thought.
After everything that transpired in the game, he hopes, "Coming to the finals, gusto ko magising yung team namin na 'You cannot play like this.'"
On the first step to doing so, Ayo said, "Kailangan naming trabahuin yun."
Good thing for the Archers the finals will not start until Dec. 3 regardless of whether the other semifinal series between the Ateneo Blue Eagles and the FEU Tamaraws goes the two-game distance or ends quickly with the Blue Eagles, needing only one victory to join them in the finals, winning their Saturday game at the said venue.
"Makakatulong [yung 10-day break] kasi yung mga lapses na ginawa namin kanina, we'll make sure na ma-resolve namin para come Dec. 3, magawa namin ang dapat naming gawin," Ayo said.
Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno
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