UST coach blames fatigue for Tigers’ lopsided loss to Archers

MANILA, Philippines – It's always an uphill battle whenever you're going against a league favorite.

 

Factor in size. Factor in having a cager hurt his foot.

 

Then there's the famed and equally dreaded defense.

 

Head coach Boy Sablan has tons to blame on his Tigers' shortcomings in an embarrassing loss to De La Salle on Wednesday. But the tactician, who has served as deputy under the school's champion coach Pido Jarencio in 2006, can only pin it on one: Fatigue.

 

"We lost this game," Sablan said, who was also along the Black-and-Gold's sidelines the last time they were dealt a massive rout.

 

"Kahit malaki ang turnover noong first half, 'di naman malayo ang score." Dito kasi, 'di na makahabol. Siguro nga pagod na [ang] mga bata," he said.

 

The Tigers, who are frequent runners-up in the UAAP, were outscored, outrebounded and outhustled by a deep, newly helmed Green Archers squad. Heck, they even compiled the second-most turnovers in a UAAP game with 40 errors.

 

"We started flat. At the same time, napagod na rin 'yung mga bata," Sablan added. He noted while it's all part of the game, they were coming from back-to-back games that featured teams, who employed scathing defenses.

 

"Parehas na trapping team pa 'yung dalawa," he said, also referring to the Warriors, which they barely survived last weekend.

 

"Nakita na namin ['yung De La Salle trap]. Na-scout naman namin. Pero nung third quarter talaga, flat yung start namin," he said.

 

And with the Tigers’ energy depleted, it was just a matter of time before their turnovers started to pile up.

 

"Tayo lang ang tumalo sa sarili natin," Sablan recalled telling his wards.

 

But as far as silver linings go, the last jarring beating the Tigers had to endure dates back to 2006, at the hands of the Blue Eagles. It was the same year when Sablan, Jarencio and the Tigers hoisted the UAAP championship.