FEU coach Racela takes blame for UE loss

MANILA, Philippines – The FEU Tamaraws were on a roll.

After beating Adamson and UP without head coach Nash Racela, who was in Seville, Spain with Gilas Pilipinas for the 2014 FIBA World Cup, the Tamaraws were in the middle of a seven-game winning streak and had hold of the first seed in the league standings with a 10-2 record.

The Tams were on fire and two more games away from taking hold of the top seed and a twice-to-beat advantage for the UAAP Season 77 men’s basketball Final Four round.

And then they ran into University of the East.

After the game, Coach Nash Racela could only say: “I think that’s the result of leaving them for 10 days.”

UE destroyed FEU on both sides of the floor in the fourth quarter, outscoring them 30-10 for a 94-71 victory to keep their own Final Four hopes alive.

Bong Galanza finished with a career-high 26 points, while Charles Mammie fended off foul trouble to finish with 18 markers and 7 rebounds.

FEU shot 43% from the floor, but turned the ball over too many times which led to easy Red Warriors points on numerous occasions.

“Yeah, 33 turnovers, translating to 34 turnover points,” uttered a disappointed Racela, whose team is now third worse in the UAAP when it comes to taking care of the ball with their 19.2 TOPG average.

Racela served as an assistant coach for Gilas, which went 1-4 in the World Cup but earned the admiration of the global basketball landscape with their inspiring play and flare for dramatics in endgame situations.

While Racela’s time with the national team was memorable because of what they accomplished, he believes his departure from the team caused their lackluster play against the Red Warriors.

“Before I left, we were really playing well as a team. Sabi ko (I said), ‘I don’t know what happened in between,’ pero wala (but oh well).”

“Again, we just have to charge it (the loss) to me because I don’t think we prepared the team well for today’s ball game. Actually, even myself, going into the game I was at a loss kung ano gagawin namin (on what we were supposed to do).”

FEU leads the UAAP with 16.0 APG. Against the Red Warriors, they dished out two less than their average amount of dimes, which led Racela to tell his club after the game that they’re “starting to lose grip of that teamwork” that had them atop the UAAP win-loss column.

The Tamaraws are now tied at 10-3 with Ateneo, whom they face on Saturday, September 14, for the number one seed heading into the playoffs.

“We’re just happy we won yung (the) two games while I was away,” Racela admitted. “We were thinking if there’s any game that we could lose, it’s the game with UE, kasi even if we won that game today, wala parin guarantee yung sa (there’s still no guarantee) twice-to-beat. So I think the more important game is the one on Saturday against Ateneo.”

The last time both clubs faced in the first round, the Blue Eagles escaped with an 81-78 win after Mike Tolomia’s heave from long-range clanked off the rim. 

Kiefer Ravena finished with 23 markers to lead Ateneo, while Mac Belo had 22 for Far Eastern University.

“To end the huddle, that’s what we said,” Racela remembered after their loss to UE. “Among the teams in the UAAP this year, si Ateneo lang yung hindi natin tinalo (Ateneo’s the only team we haven’t defeated).”

On Saturday, they will get their chance to do so. Needless to say, a lot will be riding on the game. – Rappler.com