No excuses for Green Archers’ Friday loss

May 25, 2010 | 12:26 pm | By |

I agree, no excuses. We lost last Friday, because the team didn’t play well enough to beat the opponents.

I’m not the coach, so I don’t know what the objective of joining this pre-season tournament is. But let’s take a look at 2 scenarios and see what the possible implications are:

1) The objective is to win this tournament – If so, then expect the coaches to play all out to win as many games to get to the playoffs, then prepare specifically for each game to try to win the title. This assumes that the coaches already have a core team in mind. The best players will see the most action, so the rotation will be short, maybe a maximum of 10 players. Those outside the rotation will probably see floor time only during garbage time, when the game is out of reach either way, or in the last few meaningless seconds of a quarter, or when they need a body to foul an opponent and don’t want the rotation players to sacrifice a foul. Our rotation players will probably improve, but our bench will effectively be a lot shallower because the bench players won’t get much exposure.

2) The objective is to maximize the exposure of the players in preparation for a strong showing in the UAAP – If this is the case, winning the tournament will be secondary to preparing for the UAAP wars. We’ll see a lot of experimentation and rotation of players, to give them more confidence and allow them to become more familiar with each other and the patterns designed by the coaches. The downside is that the team may lose some “winnable” games against teams perceived as weaker.

It all depends on the objectives of the coaches. We may want the team to win every game, but if the coaches “must have” is to prepare for the UAAP, then winning might just be a “nice to have”. The proper pacing of the preparations has always been a trademark of past Archer champion teams. Pre-season tournament championships are nice, but the real prize is the UAAP championship trophy. The team will peak sometime around the end of the first round of the UAAP, and by then we’ll know whether this team has what it takes to go all the way.

One possible concern if the team goes all-out in the pre-season is the risk of possible injuries that may affect a player’s performance in the UAAP. Remember that last year, Arvie was never 100% in the UAAP due to a groin injury he was nursing in the pre-season.

One of Stephen Covey’s 7 habits is “begin with the end in mind”. Our coaches have their end objective. How they get the team there might be inferred from how the team is performing today.

Tags: De La Salle Green Archers, Fil-oil Flying V Invitational.


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  • coachoftheyear

    Agree, however the two objectives come together. Winning boosts the moral and confidence of our team, maximizing the exposure of each player confirms the strategies and plans of the coaches. In the end, I believe, the coaches want to hit two birds with one stone because after all having talented and experienced players will not suffice if the coaches have not confirmed their strategies and plans.

  • jj

    can you provide us play-by-play icon or boxscores especially for us who cant watch the games here live in the office?


    Your comment is offtopic and should have been emailed to us instead. Anyway live game scores/updates will start during the UAAP season

  • ghranger

    Nel, I agree that exposure is the primary reason for these leagues. But at the back of my head, i hope that they won’t learn that its okay to lose. As always though, we’d have to trust the coaches and the team on this one.

  • lou

    leading statements, of course this article will support the second objective.

    Anyway, if those are the only objectives then don’t expect DLSU in the finals. The objective of preparation should not only be because of exposure. This should be the time to test their hearts and dedication for the game, execution in defense and offense during pressure situations. And most of all tweaking and studying match-ups of other UAAP teams in the tournament. We did not just lose in that previous game, we got our spirits broken.

  • Fred Cebu

    Let us give the coach some space to experiment certain combinations during this pre-season period as the during this period are no-bearing games. It would be pointless to experiment during the UAAP tournament itself.

  • Gerald Christian

    I believe in DLSU Basketball. But last UAAP season was a disappointment. especially the seniors who should be expected to stand out.

  • 10409114

    This is pressure from the winning tradition that we are used to. I agree there shouldn’t be any excuse and that we should still win games, even if we “maximize exposure” for the entire team. There will always be pressure to win every game because we are used to it…

    Keep the faith, ANIMO DLSU!!

  • Proud Archer

    The team is rookie and sophomore laden. People don’t realize that the suspension in 2006 really hurt our recruitment fluidity, and in my estimate, it wouldl take about 3 to 4 years time from 2007 when we won our last championship. Therefore, I expect our team’s strength to show an upward trend in 2011, not this year. Our Senior players also decided not to play out their 5th year eligibility, thus we are really the youngest team in the league now.
    When this year’s recruits develop into veterans and to be supported by later recruits, only then will we be competitive enough to vie for the championship.
    But gone are the days wherein we will dominate with a 4 peat championship string, a 3 peat runner up string, and utter dominance of 6 or 7 championships in a decade.
    Other teams (NU for instance), are really budgeting to make a name for themselves in the basketball arena. This is, after all, an advertising avenue to promote their respective schools, and let’s face it, to boost enrollment and business.
    But I am an avid fan of De La Salle basketball, period. Whether we win or lose is not essential to me, but as winners with a tradition of excellence, winning still feels good, and losing still sucks.
    All I want to see is a team that year in and year out, will say “you have to go through the eye of a needle to beat us”, and actually execute it. I always love a game which goes down to the last 30 seconds before the outcome is decided. Winning by margins of 10-20 points average only means that the school and its alumni spent tons of money for to recruit the best players available to win a “bought” championship. Winning by going through the proverbial eye of the needle says that we have heart. More heart than any of the others. Which makes you feel better?

  • sam

    We lost by 15! Does that mean that the Atlas, from who-the-hell-cares which school spent tons of money to recruit the best players available? Our alumni spent tons of money to bring these guys to Chicago too…I believe the training trip is worth more than recruiting the best players out there.