The UE Red Warriors. Photo from UAAP Media.MANILA — The University of the East was unable to end its 15-year UAAP Final 4 drought despite a promising start to the Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.

After sitting at 6-3 early in the second round, the Red Warriors fell to 6-8 after the eliminations, and they also missed their last chance to enter the semifinals after they were ousted by Adamson University, 68-55, in their playoff for fourth spot on Wednesday.

READ: Adamson eliminates UE to catch last bus to Season 87 Final 4

But even with the disappointing end to their year, UE head coach Jack Santiago insisted that they still managed to defy expectations as no one, according to him, thought that they would reach this stage.

“The whole picture, we did a good job naman,” he told a few reporters after the game. “The boys played well. Compared to last season, four wins lang kami.”

”Imagine ‘to, mga boys na ‘to, hindi nga kami na-ranked sa top six. Kami nga yung na-ranked ng eighth and seventh, but everybody na-surprise sa amin so that was already an achievement,” he continued.

Asked for the reasons that resulted in their demise, Santiago said that it was a matter of his team lacking experience as well peaking a little bit too early.

“Tinitignan namin na masyadong naging maaga yung peak,” pointed out Coach Jack. “Hindi namin alam kung hindi pa sanay yung mga players in that kind of position, but again, hindi yun yung alibi namin. Maybe may mga factors na nagkulang kami. As a coach, maybe meron kami mga mistakes, but at the end of the day, we tried to correct and resolve kung may mga problema and wala naman.”

“Yung samahan naman ng mga players and relationships ng players to players and players to coaches, wala problema, this is the best chemistry namin, itong Season 87,” he added.

Santiago then reflected on the things that he could’ve done, and will improve on after this heartbreaking loss.
UE Red Warriors Jack Santiago. Photo from UAAP Media.“As a coach, kailangan ko rin mag relax and sit down, and then balikan yung mga nangyari, kung saan ba tayo nagkamali at nagkulang,” he explained.

However, Santiago admitted that his future in Recto is up in the air, as he revealed that his contract as UE head coach will expire in January 2025.

“Siyempre, sa trabaho natin, anything can happen,” he said. “Management will decide. Talagang ganun naman eh so ako, I'll just wait and wait for the decision of the management.”

Asked if he has communicated with the UE management, Santiago bared that there have been no discussions as of present.

“Not yet. Actually, hindi pa namin na-discuss because we are concentrating on the game. So again, it's up to the management naman kung anong magiging desisyon nila,” he added.