PLAYERS react differently to pressure.
While some take time to get used to taking the responsibility of leading a team with the game on the line, others are more accustomed to it — seemingly enjoying the pressure that comes with the responsibility while shining under the brightest of lights.
Mapua’s Jamal Diaz certainly belongs in the latter.
Down 0-3 to start the NCAA Season 102 with all of those losses coming late in the game, Diaz took matters in his own hands by scoring all of his eight points in the final three minutes of the game — including the game-winning triple as the Cardinals finally got their first win by shocking defending champion San Beda 55-54 on Monday at the Filoil Center in San Juan.
READ: Gutsy Jamal Diaz shoots Mapua into NCAA S102 win column
Coach Chito Victolero was the least surprised as he knew exactly what he was doing when he rolled the dice and inserted the then-scoreless Diaz back on the floor with less than five minutes in the game and the Red Lions ahead by four.
“He’s in the last two minutes, he’s in the end game because of his ‘kapal ng mukha,’” Victolero told reporters after the match.
“Nung first half, nung halftime, pinagalitan ko siya. Sabi ko sa kanya bakit ka andyan? Naduduwag [ka ba]? Hindi naman siya andyan para [mawalan] ng kumpyansa e. That’s why binigyan ko siya ng chance nung second half, alam ko na-chachallenge siya sakin,” he added.
But while this is the first time that Diaz’s heroics resulted in a win for Mapua, this isn’t the first time that the former UE Junior Red Warrior showcased his knack of hitting big shots for the Cardinals.
Diaz hit a big shot to give Mapua a five point lead against JRU in their first game, although missed free throws and big shots from the Heavy Bombers nullified his heroics.
He was also going toe-to-toe with the Lyceum guards in yet another heartbreaking loss at clutch time — proving that while wins are hard to come by, the 19-year-old isn’t afraid of the moment.
“Alam ko naman to e. Iniiscout ko palang to nakikita ko na sa kanya,” Victolero said.
“He just needs to continue to do that. Minsan lang nao-over lang sa celebration like what happened sa JRU. Now he learns from his mistakes and alam na niya yung gagawin nya.”
For Diaz, the confidence isn’t unwarranted. It comes from hours of grind, late nights and extra hours in the Mapua gym.
He’s just merely reaping the rewards now.
“Nasa isip ko lang naman po, kaya tinitira ko yun, pinaghihirapan ko naman po yun. Ine-extra ko po yun gabi gabi. Dun po nangagaling yung kumpyansa at kapal ng mukha i-tira yun. Pinaghihirapan ko naman po yun so bakit hindi ko ititira,” Diaz said.
Sure the reward for that hard work may have been delayed, but Diaz isn’t the type of player to be discouraged. He knows it’s a long season. He knows that they’re doing the work. He knows that he’s got a coach and a team who believes in him. Now it has finally paid off.
“Sobrang sakit nung mga talo namin pero di naman kami pwede lumubog sa mga talo namin. Kailangan namin gumawa ng paraan,” he said.
“Ginawa lang namin yung best namin. Katulad nung sinabi ni coach Chito, goal namin is to bounce back. Iniisip lang namin na whatever it takes, kailangan namin manalo.”
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