No more catch-up games.

This is the biggest takeaway of University of the Philippines (UP) after the first round of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.

The Fighting Maroons learned the hard way that they can’t just start cold and expect to claw their way back to salvage a victory all the time.

UP saw its six-game winning streak snapped by defending champion De La Salle University, 56-68, to end the first round in a rematch of Season 86 finals last Sunday after another sluggish start.

This was the same culprit that almost cost the Fighting Maroons the previous two games before their Green Archers’ defeat.

“I think from our last two games, I’ve been telling them we can’t play like catch-up basketball every time. We can’t allow teams to get a head start against us and then catch up on them,” UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde said.

The last two wins of the Fighting Maroons over Adamson University and University of Santo Tomas were all come-from-behind victories.

In fact, UP trailed by as many as 22 in the second quarter against the Falcons before making a huge run to carve out a 69-57 win last 28 September.

The Fighting Maroons also trailed nine points early before blowing out the Growling Tigers, 88-67, on 2 October.

In both games, UP regained control after a strong third quarter showing.

It was, however, ineffective against a composed La Salle side.

The Fighting Maroons ran behind the Green Archers the whole first half before making a run in the third that tied it at 42.