LETRAN will be walking into the semifinals of the NCAA Season 101 with plenty of confidence, and it’s not only with how it’s seemingly peaking at the right time.
As the Knights pick up steam entering the Final Four against the Perpetual Altas, so is forward Jun Roque who’s now starting to find his groove for coach Allen Ricardo.
Playing limited minutes in the past few games as he eased in from a lingering shoulder injury, Roque played his longest game yet – logging in nearly 31 minutes as the Knights eliminated the Arellano Chiefs, 77-69, on Friday at the Playtime Filoil Center.
READ: Letran completes NCAA semis cast by eliminating Arellano
“At least nakakabwelo na si Jun. Alam naman natin na ang tagal niya nawala. Ito yung hinahanap ko sa kanya na serbisyo,” Letran head coach Allen Ricardo said.
“Importante sakin si Jun Roque para mas maging deeper yung rotation namin sa wing.”
The 12th overall pick of the PBA Season 50 Rookie Draft finished with 11 points, but more than his ability to stretch the floor, it’s his activity on defense which kept him in the game – adding dimensions to Letran on both ends on the floor.
“Ang maganda sa kanya, he’s long and athletic, pag tinapat namin siya sa small guy, he keeps on bothering them,” Ricardo said.
“Actually, maganda yung nilaro niya e so let’s keep it that way. Yun ang isa sa mga deciding factor namin na ilaro na ng mahaba si Jun e. Nakikita na namin sa bench namin na ano e, hesitant yung kalaban pag andyan si Jun kasi siya yung ginigitna namin,” he added.
Roque road
After spending the offseason injured, Roque’s year took a turn for the better after recovering just in time to turn heads in the PBA draft combine.
He got the attention of coach Yeng Guiao and was eventually picked by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters despite having committed to play out his final year for Letran.
But that celebration was cut short as what would’ve been the opportunity to prove his mettle before turning pro was halted after re-injuring his shoulder in their first game versus Jose Rizal University – forcing him to sit out the next seven games.
“Sobrang hirap kasi yun nga, andaming struggles. Nung offseason na-injury ako. Almost one month ako di nagbasketball,” he said.
“Naka-recover ako, nagpa-draft ako sa PBA, maganda naman kinalabasan, pero nung opening game bumalik na naman yung injury ko tapos yun, andami kong iniisip at doubts sa sarili,” he added.
But now he’s excited as not only is he healthy just in time for the playoffs, he’ll also be facing his old team in Perpetual in the semis.
“Sobrang saya ko kasi naibabalik ko na yung kumpyansa ko, yung katulad nung paano ako maglaro nung previous team ko,” he said.
“Sobrang excited ko. Siyempre previous team ko yun, may gusto ka rin patunayan sa kanila. Kahit papaano laban ka parin,” he added.
“Pero siyempre, hindi ko narin masyadong iniintindi yun, yung final four nalang talaga yung iniisip ko e, makuha lang namin yung gusto namin.”
While there’s plenty of excitement on his end, he’s not getting ahead of himself as he promises to play his role to perfection against a very good Altas side.
“Yung pagiging ano ko [active] nalang sa depensa. Andami narin naming scorer,” he said.
“Kaya siguro binibigyan din ako ng minutes, in-accept ko kasi yung role ko na dumepensa at i-stop yung main guy nung kabilan team.”
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