Tigers avoid winless UAAP season; Sablan calls for patience

MANILA, Philippines — University of Santo Tomas on Sunday averted what could’ve been the biggest disaster in their basketball history.

Fighting for one last time in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament, Boy Sablan's wards were able to dodge the biggest bullet. They defeated University of the East, 88-85, to salvage whatever pride was left on the once-mighty Growling Tigers.

“Syempre masaya hindi kami na-zero. Masaya kasi hindi kami na-zero. At the same time, ito yung part ng rebuilding process namin eh. Yung transition from two coaches na dumaan which is may pinanggalingan na hindi maganda, alam naman natin yan. So kailangan mabago ‘yon,” he explained.

“Sabi nga ng nakakataas sa amin dun sa UAAP, it takes at least three years [for the] rebuilding process,” he furthered. “Siguro naman tayo, kayo naman, you will agree, na hndi naman one year eh pwede na. I mean, let’s face it guys, one year is not enough to rebuild a team like this na may pinanggalingan.”

“‘Di bale sana kung maayos lahat eh, ‘di bale sana kung nandyan ‘yung Kevin Ferrer or Ed Daquioag,” he let out with a sigh. “[Pero] hindi eh. Wala eh. This is rebuilding.”

To his defense, Sablan maintained that he did his best exposing his wards early into the season. The second-year UST coach noted that he was able to send the team to myriad competitions where they actually thrived.

“Nilabas ko tong mga batang to para magkaroon ng laro. Agusan, Davao, Malolos, Baguio, Subic, Pampanga, Cabanatuan … Laguna,” he bared. “Kasi kailangan nga, nakita ko nga itong mga batang to dahil hindi naman… kulang nga dun sa experience and exposure. Kailangan natin i-laro sila.”

Sablan had been under fire in social media for being unable to steer the Tigers to the winning column.

Had UST failed to eke out one on Sunday afternoon, they become the only school to be on both sides of the spectrum: Enjoy a 14-0 sweep and suffer a winless UAAP season.

But for all of the clarifications he made, Sablan humbly asked the team’s fans and followers to trust the process his team is going through.

“Itong rebuilding process na ginawa ko — with eight rookies and eight veterans,” he shared. “Chemistry — you have to gel — in a year’s time, kailangang mangyari lahat.”

Maybe, Sablan added, had they had longer time to be together and to buy into a system, things would’ve different.

“Kaya nga sinasabi ko, for next year,” he pleaded. “Give us another year, readying-ready na ang mga batang ‘to."