Unbeaten Knights still seeking improvements
Letran coach Allen Ricardo and his Knights battle Emilio Aguinaldo College as the elimination round of NCAA Season 102 resumes on Thursday at San Juan Arena.
And Ricardo isn’t exactly thrilled with how his Knights performed in a lopsided win against an old foe the last time out.
“I am not satisfied because I know they (Knights) can still improve on a lot of things,” Ricardo said in Filipino, referring to a 99-62 win over San Sebastian which would have put a smile on any coach’s face. “I need extra effort.
“I need them to double everything so it becomes second nature and a habit to them heading into the latter part of the season,” he said.
Much of Ricardo’s concern stemmed from Letran’s shortcomings in the rebounding department as the Knights had just six rebounds more than the Stags in the lopsided win.
Game time is 3 p.m., which follows the San Beda-Lyceum opener.
“We’re working on our rebounds,” he said. “We tend to give up a lot of offensive rebounds and we need to limit that for our upcoming game against EAC.”
And he believes that his charges are lacking the will to do it.
“It’s all about the desire, it’s not about the wrongs or rights, it’s about how we position ourselves [for those rebounds],” he explained.
The Generals, on the other hand, fell victim to Arellano on Tuesday, 91-87.
But the numbers seem to favor the Generals in the rebounding department as they snagged down 45 boards over the Chiefs’ 35, which could be a cause of concern for Ricardo and his crew.
Before EAC and Letran’s anticipated clash, Lyceum takes on defending champion San Beda, with the Pirates coming off a morale-boosting win.
Lyceum nipped Intramuros neighbor Mapua, 88-87, on Monday in the league’s historic return to Philsports Arena.
“We’re very happy with how the boys respond with these things,” said Lyceum assistant coach JJ Alejandro. “We had a painful loss in the last game. This win means a lot to us.”
