Filoil tilt a good test for Cebu teams

AS THE saying goes, it sometimes takes two steps back before you can take a step forward.
In the case of the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers and the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, that is exactly what they hope to bank on in the wake of their losses during the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup last week.
The Warriors managed to win one of their three games while the Lancers, the reigning Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) champions are winless.
Both head coaches, USC’s Junthy Valenzuela and UV’s Felix Belano, agreed that skill-wise, their players can match up well against their opponents. The difference lay in the mental aspect of the game.
“Ang problema is ang mental toughness sa atong mga players,” Belano said. “I learned that dili jud diay nimo matudlo ang ‘puso’ sa player.”
Valenzuela, on the other hand, believes that the experience of playing against the Manila teams showed them exactly what they needed to improve on.
“Kuwang lang jud sila sa kumpyansa,” Valenzuela said.
Southwestern University starts its bid tomorrow while both USC and UV take a three-week break before plunging back into action on May 21. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio