The UST Junior Golden Booters are set to meet the FEU-Diliman Baby Tamaraws in the UAAP boys’ football finals for the third consecutive year on Friday, April 10, at the UP Football Pitch.
For UST, a second consecutive championship would further cement its status as the league’s premier program. To achieve that, Junior Golden Booters assistant coach David Basa emphasized the need for unwavering focus throughout the match.
“‘Yong organization ng team at ‘yong focus level nila dapat all throughout the game andoon,” Basa said after UST’s 2-1 semifinal win over De La Salle-Zobel.
“One mistake lang, puwedeng mawala ‘yong game. So every training, sinasabi namin na ito ‘yong kailangan ninyong gawin. ‘Yong focus dapat laging andiyan, at ‘yong antenna namin dapat laging ready sa danger,” he added.
Unlike UST, FEU-Diliman had to go through a grueling two-match semifinal series against the PAREF Southridge Cardinals.
The Baby Tamaraws, who finished as the top seed in the elimination round, dropped Game 1, 4-2, via penalty shootout before bouncing back with a 1-0 win in Game 2 on April 1.
UST, meanwhile, enjoyed a longer preparation window, with 12 days to gear up for the final compared with FEU-Diliman’s nine days.
The two teams split their elimination-round meetings, with UST taking their Round 1 matchup, 2-1, before FEU-Diliman responded with a 3-1 victory in their second encounter.
For Basa, those results no longer matter heading into the championship.
“Ang priority lang namin ngayon ay to get the boys ready physically and mentally, para pagdating nila sa game, ready silang ibigay ang 100 percent,” he said.
Last season, the Junior Golden Booters ended FEU-Diliman’s 12-year reign with a 2-1 victory in the Season 87 finals.
UST will lean on key players Josh Moleje, Argos Alingalan and Roy Panunciar Jr., who have delivered crucial goals throughout the season.
FEU-Diliman, meanwhile, will be led by Jomari Masangkay, who scored the lone goal in their semifinal-clinching win over Southridge. He will be backstopped by Enzo Panganiban and Jacob Keleghan.
Maintaining discipline will also be crucial in their bid to retain the title, Basa said.
“In terms of gameplay, alam na nila ‘yong system,” he said. “More on attitude and behavior in the game ‘yong kailangan naming i-improve.”
