AROUND THE LEAGUE: Post-mortem on La Salle Part 2
By Sid Ventura, Guest Columnist
17 September 2009 05:38 PM
(continuation of Post-Mortem on La Salle)
But enough of that game already. To me, the bigger question is why La Salle won only five games. Again, there is no easy answer to this one; certainly there’s more than one answer. If you were to make a list, though, you would have to at some point look at the aforementioned messrs Barua, Malabes and Mangahas for not being the leaders that most people felt they should have been, them being fourth-year players and all.
You could also make a case for that missed shot by Bringas to end regulation against Ateneo which, had it gone in, would have extended the Archers’ winning streak to five games, tied them with the Blue Eagles and the UE Warriors for first at 5-2, and given them a big boost in confidence. Instead, they went on to lose in overtime, which triggered a five-game losing skid that paved the way for their elimination.
In cases like this, some people naturally put the blame squarely on the shoulders of the coach, but since I am not privy to what goes on in the La Salle locker room and during practices, I cannot objectively comment on this. But this much I’ll say: the players this year did not respond with the same sense of urgency I have seen in past DLSU teams. Whether that is the fault of the coach or whether the players simply aren’t as talented or determined as their predecessors, I honestly don’t know. Maybe it’s a combination of both. Should Coach Franz Pumaren have gone with his younger players and benched his veterans much earlier? It’s hard to second-guess. As they say, hindsight is 20/20.
You could also say that this is a very young team, and add to that a team with no clear go-to guy. Hyram Bagatsing tried his darnedest best to fill this role, but he wasn’t consistent enough. In the past, La Salle always had that one player who you knew would take the big shot and make it. There was always a Ritualo, Cortez, Cardona, Yeo, or Casio to save the day and carry his team on his back.
This year that go-to guy should have been Rico Maierhofer. The team certainly wasn’t counting on him foregoing his final year of eligibility, and when he abruptly decided to turn pro, there was little time to fill the void he left, not only as a big man but as a team leader.
But despite this season’s debacle, one can look at the young guns on this team and feel that they can be really good as early as next season. Bringas has the makings of a versatile big man who can hurt you from inside and out. Andrada may never develop into an offensive force, but his shot blocking skills are downright scary. Joseph Marata is clearly a gifted shooter, while Joel Tolentino will be one of the top point guards in the UAAP by the time he is through. As for the next go-to guy, my money is on Joshua Webb. He just needs to be reined in a bit, but this early you can see he is already fearless, and he knows hot to get his points.
With a bunch of promising players waiting in the wings, and with only Bagatsing graduating, I’m almost certain at least four players will be cut from the team. But make no mistake, La Salle will be a stronger team next year.
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check out the snapshots of the Archers' final game with coach Franz
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UAAP Srs fell to NCAA Srs in Bantay Bata All Star Game
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Allein Maliksi jumped his way to the Slam Dunk title
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UAAP stars showed their other side off the court during Chalk Fashion Rocks, the anniversary party of Chalk Magazine.
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UAAP stars mingled with fans during Chalk Fashion Rocks, the anniversary party of Chalk Magazine.
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UAAP teamed up with NCAA for a casue
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