John Abate and the UE Purple Warriors have fun in opposition to the La Salle Inexperienced Archers within the UAAP Season 87 males’s basketball event. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.internet
MANILA, Philippines—Woman Luck has been form to College of the East coach Jack Santiago.
Santiago owed a part of the Purple Warriors’ surprisingly good begin within the UAAP Season 87 males’s basketball event to his revamped lineup which was fortunate sufficient to land three promising guards.
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The addition of John Abate, Rainer Maga and Wello Lingolingo got here simply when UE wanted to fill a gaping gap following the departure of its former star Rey Remogat.
SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 basketball
“We simply wanted to cowl the spot left by Remogat however truly, these gamers who’re with me proper now, these guards… they’re right here as a result of I simply received fortunate,” Santiago, the previous longtime La Salle assistant coach, advised Inquirer Sports activities on Sunday following UE’s beautiful 75-71 win over defending champion La Salle on Sunday.
“I by no means anticipated these guards to be obtainable for me.”
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If there was any recreation the place UE may present it may sustain with the most effective, it was the sport in opposition to the Inexperienced Archers.
UE coach Jack Santiago.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.internet
The guard-heavy lineup of UE gave La Salle all types of issues with Abate, Lingolingo and Maga taking turns in making massive performs for the Purple Warriors.
Abate completed with a team-high 20 factors constructed on 3-of-3 from downtown whereas Lingolingo added 18 all on 3-pointers. Maga scored simply seven factors however had three essential steals as he additionally performed a key function in handing La Salle its first lack of the season.
READ: UAAP: UE delivers La Salle’s first loss in males’s basketball
“Maga simply sat out for a 12 months and I noticed him taking part in exterior and I noticed his potential. Wello, he got here from the province and I simply received him there as a result of I do know he’s able to profitable massive video games,” Santiago recalled. “John got here from UST. UST was the one who recruited him however for some motive I don’t know, he referred to as me and stated he’s prepared to switch. I noticed his potential and I requested myself, ‘why not?’”
“My recruits simply occurred to be virtually all guards however truthfully talking, they only fortunately got here to me and I’m simply maximizing them.”
Up to now, Santiago has been in a position to take advantage of out of his small-ball roster with the Purple Warriors presently at 2-2.
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