San Sebastian College-Recoletos didn't exactly have a great start to its campaign in NCAA Season 97 after it absorbed a loss to Arellano University last Sunday.
That heartbreaking defeat, where they wasted a huge lead to surrender to the Chiefs, served as the Stags' motivation when they went up against University of Perpetual Help System DALTA on Friday.
Although they had a slow start, the wards of head coach Egay Macaraya turned things around late in the fourth quarter to pick up their first win of the season, 63-58.
"Palagi namin sinasabi na mag-bounce back kami dahil sa pagkatalo namin sa Arellano, sobrang sakit sa amin kasi panalo na dapat kami pero natalo pa," San Sebastian's Rommel Calahat said.
Calahat was one of the bright spots in this game, leading a fourth quarter barrage to finish with 17 points alongisde eight rebounds and four assists.
"Tsaka pinaghandaan talaga namin. 'Yung sa last game, parang nag-give up kami sa fourth quarter kaya natalo kami. Ngayon medyo maganda na rin 'yung defense namin."
Macaraya, meanwhile, said it was their defense that spelled the difference in the win as they held Perpetual to just 58 points, which was relatively low compared to its 77-56 victory over Jose Rizal University last Tuesday.
"But it's not about sa ginagawa nilang points, that is a bonus for me. [It's about] how they played good defense talaga," the veteran tactician said.
—JMB, GMA News
