UNIVERSITY of the EastThe 15-year wait for his men’s basketball team to return to the UAP The Final Four could come to an end in a matter of weeks.

The Red Warriors have been the surprise package of the season and are still on a roll of late with six wins in their last seven games.

READ: Santiago? UE sure is glad coach Jack Santia is staying

With five more games left in the preliminaries, they find themselves in sole third place at 6-3 behind the protagonists of the Final Four title. LaSalle and University of the Philippines.

Now it will take a few more wins, and a bit of luck too, for UE’s Cinderella run to write its next chapter in the semi-finals.

PHOTO: UAAP Season 87 Media Team

The only wish of the EU

In a season that has had a combination of tight game schedules and long weather-induced layoffs, there is the challenge of staying in top shape and top condition.

EU head coach jack santiagowho admitted how his team had to shrug off some rust after a week-long layoff, revealed his biggest wish as he enters the final stretch of his playoff push: to avoid injuries.

And their deck of aces will need to be shuffled a bit to ensure their star protections don’t wear down if they reach the Final Four.

“I pray that my players are 100 percent healthy because, as you see, the schedule is young, we will play next Wednesday and then the weekend,” Santiago said.

PHOTO: UAAP Season 87 Media Team

“Sinabi ko du’n sa mga boys na we have to separate, just to give the first two groups time for the first group to have their pahinga and give the guys coming off the bench time to play.

“We can’t afford to have the same personalities, the same players and heavy minutes in the next game. “We want fresh legs, we want new players to emerge.”

Earned, not given

There’s no incentive to be almost there or just a few wins away from the Final Four.

Even if they have third place ahead of what could simply be a photo finish in the race for mid-table, they haven’t won anything yet.

Santiago made sure to instill a “back to zero” mentality into the Red Warriors before each remaining game they will play.

PHOTO: UAAP Season 87 Media Team

“The team’s goal is to be in the Final Four. With our current situation, ‘di pa kasi namin iniisip kung nasaan na kami ngayon. Anything can happen kasi.

The author of the EU decision added: “If you see the position, the halos magkakadikit lang din naman, so we never thought that na sure na kami sa Final Four.

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“Paghahandaan pa rin namin lahat ‘yung mga makakalaban namin, kumbaga 0-0 pa rin kami pagdating ng namin of the upcoming games.”

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