Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws head coach Nash Racela assessed that his team appears to be headed in the right direction after a week’s worth of team building and tune-up games here in Cebu.
“We’re a step closer to where we want to be, basketball-wise,” said Racela moments after the Tamaraws finished their stint in the Mayor Mike Rama Collegiate Invitational Cup with an 85-79 win over the Mapua Cardinals, completing a sweep of their games here.
The Tamaraws, who missed the Final Four last season, were revamped by the younger brother of Petron head coach Olsen Racela, with more emphasis being put on “building relationships” between the teammates.
“Historically, we’ve always been good individually, but sometimes at the risk of team chemistry. That’s why we’re trying to teach them to play the right way and imbibe in them that they can’t just rely on yourself,” added Racela.
Asked if his relationship with his two star guards, former league MVP RR Garcia and former Rookie of the Year Terrence Romeo, was improving, Racela quipped that it was a work in progress. But he said he has made sure to show his high-scoring backcourt that there would be no special treatments on this squad.
FEU dropped the University of the Visayas, 90-83 and then, eked past Southwestern University, 79-78, efforts that had Racela impressed.
However, he was less enthused with their last victory against Mapua as they wasted away a double-digit lead and had to scramble in the endgame to snatch the win.
“I liked how the team played in their first two games. But the third one, even though we won, was a failure. They have to play hard on every play.”