ANDREI Caracut is well aware of the missed opportunity he and La Salle teammate Aljun Melecio had with Ricci Rivero in the 2019 Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup All-Star Game on Friday.
Voted in as starters for Team UAAP, the three had a chance to run it back to their days in La Salle, a time before Rivero took his act to University of the Philippines.
But Rivero had to sit the game out as he still nursed a sprained right ankle suffered in the 2019 Fiba 3x3 Asia Cup, rendering him inactive for the exhibition game in the summer tourney.
The reunion remained on the bench and not on the court.
"I'm sure kung nandoon siya, ganoon pa rin," said Caracut, who has now took the baton as the team captain for the Green Archers. "Nakakamiss din, pero nasanay na din naman ako na di ko siya kasama maglaro."
Despite Rivero's absence, Caracut was one of the key figures on the court for Team UAAP in its 86-83 squeaker over Team NCAA as he finished with a team-best 12 points, on top of two rebounds and two assists to be named as the All-Star Game MVP.
As much as the game was billed as a reunion of sorts, Caracut took it as an opportunity for him to test himself against some of the best the collegiate leagues has to offer, wile also adding new friends along the way.
"Para sa akin, basketball ito. Gusto talaga naming manalo. Inayos ko lang din talaga dahil baka ma-injure ako," he said.
"Masaya din kasi nakasama ko yung mga kaaway ko sa UAAP. Nagkaroon ako ng bagong kaibigan. Magandang experience."
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