We’re down but not out - Franz

By Tito Talao - Manila Bulletin - September 22, 2008

Franz Pumaren, the De La Salle coach, conferred quietly with his assistants, Jack Santiago, Tonichi Yturri and Tyrone Bautista, at the free throw line in front of the Green Archers goal after Game One of the UAAP Finals yesterday, oblivious to the sea of blue singing the Ateneo hymn to the victorious Blue Eagles team.

When the Ateneo faithful was through, Pumaren raised a clenched fist and joined the tens of thousands of La Salle supporters, defying with their school anthem what could be an inevitable fate at the hands of a powerful opponent.

"We’re down but not out," said Pumaren, firmness still in his voice after absorbing a 69-61 loss to Ateneo counterpart Norman Black. "It takes two games to win the championship."

With his quest for a sixth UAAP championship in jeopardy, La Salle having lost all three meetings so far to Ateneo this season, Pumaren nonetheless remained confident the Green Archers could get the job done.

"We were also 3-0 against them in 2005," Pumaren bared.

Mental mistakes in the crucial stretch late in the first half contributed largely to their fall, he said.
"And we also failed to convert key turnovers by Ateneo."

With Chris Tiu’s early foul trouble canceling out JV Casio’s 3 of 10 shooting for La Salle in the first half, the Green Archers were within striking distance before allowing the Blue Eagles to finish with a flurry, leaving for the break with a 36-29 lead.

With Casio groping for form, which he didn’t find until it was too late, and Rico Maierhofer drifting in and out of his usual game, La Salle was unable to mount a decent comeback as Ateneo center Rabeth Al-Hussaini annihilated the Green Archers at the low post in the second half, burying their arch-rivals with 31 points.

"We didn’t play our A-game," said Pumaren. "And we lacked toughness down the stretch. But I’m still confident we can even the series."

La Salle, which used a shifty zone press to force Ateneo into 15 turnovers in the first half alone, will need more than toughness to level the best-of-three championship series on Thursday.

"We’ll need more scoring from our bench," Pumaren acknowledged. "We can’t just rely on our main scorers."

Casio threw more bricks than baskets in leading La Salle with 20 points on 8 of 24 shooting, while Maierhofer added 17 points with 16 rebounds.

La Salle’s next three starters combined for only 11 points, however, and Alvin Villanueva, who played 26 minutes behind Casio (34) and Maierhofer (28), was a mere 1 of 5 from the floor.

And how does he plan to stop Al-Hussaini, who showed no ill effects of the sprain he was to have suffered in practice last Friday?

"We’ll find a way," Pumaren vowed, stepping into the quiet La Salle locker room and closing the door behind him.

The Green Archers’ title-retention bid hangs precariously in the balance, tilting dangerously on the edge. Franz Pumaren will have to dig deep to put down a swooping, shrieking threat to their throne.