Pumaren warns UE: play better or ‘kiss season goodbye’

Naveen Ganglani

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Pumaren warns UE: play better or ‘kiss season goodbye’
University of the East coach Derrick Pumaren let his players know that the way they struggled early against Adamson will not cut it as the elimination rounds near a close

MANILA, Philippines – Despite seeing his team win for the third time in their last four games, University of the East Red Warriors head coach Derrick Pumaren was unhappy with the way his boys performed against the Adamson Soaring Falcons on Sunday, August 24.

UE beat Adamson, 72-59, but needed to turn up the pressure on both sides of the floor in the third quarter after their lethargic start caused them to trail the now 0-10 Soaring Falcons for the entire first half.

“I don’t think the guys came out to play. They didn’t play hard, especially in the start. They were taking Adamson for granted,” a displeased Pumaren criticized his team during the post-game media session.

Although UE big man Charles Mammie started at center for his team, the Red Warriors still allowed their opponents to haul down five offensive rebounds in the first quarter, leading to multiple easy scoring opportunities for guys like Don Trollano and Jansen Rios.

Adamson ended up outrebounding the taller UE team for the game, 47-41, despite coming out on the losing side.

“Well as I told the team we still have a shot, we still have a chance,” Pumaren said about his squad’s chances of making the playoffs, as they currently sit at fifth place in the league standings  with a 5-5 record.

“But we cannot play the way we played (against Adamson),” he added, before warning that: “If that’s the way we’re going to play against NU, the top teams, then we have to kiss the season goodbye.”

University of the East is back in action when they take on National University on Sunday, August 31. The last time both clubs faced each other, the latter pulled out a close two-point win after Roi Sumang failed to a hit a runner with the clock winding down.

Sumang, since returning from an ankle injury he suffered against UST and kept him out of UE’s game against UP in the second round, has gone a combined 5-of-17 from the field in his last two performances. Pumaren, though, says that Sumang is “100%,” according to UE’s team doctor.

Nevertheless, the recent strong play of guys like Bong Galanza and Ronnie De Leon has provided huge relief for UE, whose schedule of opponents moving forward consists of four of the top six teams, as of today, in the UAAP.

“We’re still in the hunt for the Final Four,” Pumaren reiterated. “There’s still a chance for us to make the Final Four. But we have to play a lot better than the way we played (against Adamson.)”

Pumaren says he constantly reminds his boys of what’s at stake, and how much weight each game has from here on out. A single win or loss could spell the difference between an early offseason for UE or a chance to make a run at the UAAP title – Pumaren’s first in over two decades.

“We talked about it. We forgot already about the standing that we had. We have to work our way up now, making it to the Final Four,” said the head coach who won his most recent UAAP title with the De La Salle Green Archers in 1990.

“That is the mentality that we should have: it starts right now.” – Rappler.com

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