UST head coach Pido Jarencio had a lot to say to his skeptics.
Following the Tigers' 79-70 victory over the FEU Tamaraws in the UAAP Season 87 men's basketball tournament, Jarencio voiced his disappointment with what he perceived to be fair-weather UST supporters.
“Ang dami kong basher. I love you all. Mamatay na kayong lahat,” said Jarencio.
Lamenting decline of fans
Jarencio also bemoaned the dropping number of Tigers supporters at the previous two games, such as the one at UST's Quadricentennial Pavilion, where Ateneo Blue Eagles supporters filled over half of the arena.
“Yung mga true fans namin na andiyan, yung mga UST fans na manalo o matalo andiyan. Kokonti sila ngayon dahil puro kami talo eh. Pagka nananalo, andiyan sila lahat,” Jarencio remarked.
The Tigers lost on their home court against the Blue Eagles after opening the second round with defeats to the reigning champion La Salle Green Archers and the perennial title contender UP Fighting Maroons.
The Tigers had dropped five of their previous six games before defeating FEU.
Keeping the fight
As UST goes into the closing stages of the elimination round, Jarencio, who led the Tigers to their most recent UAAP title in 2006, urged "real fans" to keep cheering the team on.
“Sa mga fans namin na tunay, manood kayo. Kung hindi kayo tunay, okay lang, kahit limang libo lang yung nanonood sa amin ngayon. Okay lang kami ron,” he said.
“Basta sakin, basta kami, laban lang, laro lang kami. Laban kami. Itong team na ito. Laban lang to,” he added.
“Thank you, wala na akong kailangang sabihin baka mas marami pa kong masabi. Ewan ko na lang. Thank you.”
