INTROVOYS? CABANERO CONFIDENT UST STILL ON TRACK FOR FINE FINISH

IS University of Santo Tomas the UAAP's version of 'Introvoys?'

The undesirable tag, which has been infamously associated with Magnolia in the PBA, has been unwantedly attached to the host of Season 88 following its fall from grace on the heels of a 5-1 start.

And after the Growling Tigers' four-game losing skid was compounded by humiliating losses to Adamson and the University of the Philippines that sent them down to an even 5-5 record, this chatter just grew louder.

But Nic Cabanero remains defiant, saying that despite these struggles, his faith in the team never wavers.

"All of us, may naramdaman tayo na struggles and failures, but that shouldn't stop us. We should keep moving forward kahit anong mangyari. Life must go on kahit anong mangyari," he said after that painful 89-88 loss to the Fighting Maroons on Wednesday.

READ: Pido Jarencio gives UST an earful after another heartbreaker

"Patibayan talaga ng loob ito eh. Siyempre nakakalungkot, even me personally nada-down kami, but sama-sama pa rin kami kasi we play for our brothers. Ganun talaga yung basketball. Hindi naman pwede yung dalawa manalo. May manalo, may matalo. Nandoon pa rin yung chemistry ng team, na makikita kung gaano kami katibay and gaano kami kabuo."

Cabanero has heard all these criticisms, but to him, as hurtful as some of them may be, UST has no other recourse but to move forward, as he insists that this campaign is far from a lost cause.

"We should never give up kasi pangit yun eh, pangit yung ganoong mentality eh. Kaya dapat we should show our mental toughness on and off the court," he said. "Trust the process pa rin kami, na naniwala pa rin kami na kayang-kaya namin manalo sa mga remaining games namin."

Championship is a b-UST?

Indeed, the fight is still alive for the Espana crew, as they currently find themselves tied at for fourth with Adamson and Ateneo.

Remaining for UST are games against Far Eastern University, University of the East, Ateneo, and National U - games that in Cabanero's book, are all must-win.

And it's in these games where the Growling Tigers should more than ever show what they're made of.

As he put it, "We still have four games that we should win, so we’ll take it one game at a time. Kailangan pa namin na patibayin pa rin yung loob namin na walang pressure dapat. Pangit kasi 'pag nagsisihan pa kami, so dapat dito mas makikita na mas buo pa kami as a team."

"Kaya dapat focus lang kami one game at a time. Dapat it does not stop us to believe and just go hard, just show the brand of basketball that UST Growling Tigers play."

He ended: "Kahit anong mangyari, walang iwanan."

2025-11-06T10:15:09Z