The FEU Tamaraws survived a fourth-quarter meltdown against the Adamson Soaring Falcons on Wednesday to secure their fifth win of the UAAP Season 89 Men’s Basketball Tournament. But point guard Janrey Pasaol sees lots of room for improvement moving forward.
With FEU having to play back-to-back games that both went down to the wire, Pasaol believes it is up to the team’s point guards, himself included, to make the crucial decisions in the closing moments.
Janrey Pasaol, FEU Guards Must Lead Team
With the Tamaraws’ 19-point lead slipping away in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, head coach Sean Chambers trusted his prized point guard, Janrey Pasaol, to make the crucial plays and help the team secure the victory.
“Siguro kapag mga ganung pagka-late na situation na, sa amin na talaga kasi yung bola eh, sa point guard na talaga naka-ano yung bola,” he told reporters at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Pasaol wasn’t the only guard entrusted with crucial minutes during the game’s toughest stretches. Fellow guards Jorrick Bautista and Jedrick Daa also saw significant action.
The three-guard lineup proved effective. Aside from Pasaol’s clutch three-pointer down the stretch, Daa and Bautista also sank crucial free throws in the closing moments to preserve what remained of their 19-point lead.
“Nasa sa amin nalang kung paano namin gagamitin ‘yung lead, ‘yung oras kung paano kami mag-e-execute sa every possession. ‘Yun nalang ‘yung ma-improve namin,” Pasaol added.
Better Decision-Making Is Critical
At one point in the fourth quarter, FEU’s lead had been trimmed to just five points, 65-60. However, the Tamaraws showed composure and on-point late-game decision-making, unlike in their previous loss to the Ateneo Blue Eagles, where Pasaol inexplicably took a game-ending floater when the Tamaraws needed a trey.
As Janrey Pasaol and the rest of the Tamaraws prepare to face the UE Red Warriors at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, their fourth-quarter execution will once again be put to the test as they look to show improvement following the Halloween break.
