Tardy Mammie not enough to deter UE's drive for a playoff berth
“I actually wasn't going to use him,” declared UE Red Warriors head coach Derrick Pumaren about his plans for his center Charles Mammie during Tuesday's clash with UST.
The UE big man reportedly arrived just thirty minutes before tip-off of the game, which the Red Warriors needed to win to force a playoff with NU for the last Final Four berth.
“It kinda pisses me off that Charles was late. You can't do that,” said an exasperated Pumaren. “Discipline is number one with us.”
“He was giving me different reasons for being late but that was all a lot of bull. He said there was traffic. I wasn't born yet and there was traffic in Metro Manila. He said he left at 10:30 am. Ano? Galing ba siyang Pampanga?”
The game was played in the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, and the coach said Mammie lives in or near Makati.
Mammie rode the pine for the entire first half, but thanks to his teammates, the African got a chance in the second half.
“The boys asked me if he (Mammie) could play,” confessed the coach. “I told them you better pray we win. If we don't then that's the last time he'll wear a UE uniform. I'll take him out of the team.”
Wow. Talk about pressure. A team needing to win to keep their team in the final four hunt and to keep their center in the squad as well.
Fortunately Mammie and his mates delivered with a 78-73 victory. Mammie played all but two minutes of the second half and served up seven points, five hard-earned rebounds, and three assists. He also crucially made life difficult for his opposite number, UST's Karim Abdul, who picked up a fourth foul with fully four minutes to go in the third quarter (committed against Mammie while he scored). The lead became 48-43 for UE, and the Warriors never looked back as Abdul was forced to sit.
Also crucial to UE's win was Paul Varilla, who contributed eight of his 9 points in the final period. His last basket was a true dagger, a smooth reverse layup that gave the Recto-based squad a 75-65 advantage with just under two minutes to play.
“Paul is one of the underrated players in this league,” said Pumaren. I give him a lot of minutes because of the little things he does for me.”
Dan Alberto also starred, good for 15 points in 25 minutes of action. Alberto manned the point guard slot for Pumaren in the pivotal third quarter as Roi Sumang got nary a minute of action in that quarter.
“Dan was runnning the offense fluidly, so it was not the time to bring in Roi,” explained Pumaren.
Top-scoring for UE was Bong Galanza who continued his fine form with a seventeen-point, seven-rebound day.
“When your number is called you have to be ready, and Dan and Bong delivered,” said the coach.
UE (9-5) has now won five games in a row and meets the Bulldogs on Saturday with the winner gaining the fourth seed and meeeting Ateneo.
“NU will have an advantage because they will have had prepared earlier. We have to play tough defense. They are a very patient team.”
It's a must-win contest, but that's nothing new for these Warriors, who want to be the first UE side in the Final Four in the last four seasons.
“It's a do-or die game, but that's what we've been doing for the last three weeks. We gotta do it one more time.”
