YUKIEN Andrada doesn’t have to look that far for his personal basketball idol.
Older brother Yutien Andrada perfectly fits that role.
“Siya yung idol na nilu-look up ko talaga ever since,” admitted the San Beda Red Lions team captain. “I want to chase siyempre yung mga naabot din niya sa collegiate level and even in the pros.”
The elder Andrada won a championship with La Salle in the UAAP and later on, played majority of his years in the PBA suiting up for Alaska.
Unfortunately, Yutien, 33, recently underwent operation for an aortic aneurisym.
Yukien said he was in Bayugan City playing in a tournament when he got the bad news.
“My parents called me na ooperahan na siya. Kailangan operahan na kaagad kasi kung hindi it would be a 50-50 solution,” stressed the former Batang Gilas member.
Like he was on the basketball court, the older Andrada is a certified warrior, according to his brother.
“Kasi yung kuya ko he doesn’t want us to worry about him. So I trust him naman na he’s ok,” he said. “And I can see naman na he’s ok right now.”
Yukien added his brother is now on the way to recovery and doing post-operation therapy.
“OK naman na siya. Nagpapagaling na sa bahay,” he said of Yutien, who also had stints in the PBA 3x3 and the MPBL.
READ: San Beda repeats over Mapua in heated NCAA finals rematch
Yukien said he’s certain his brother will be able to return to court and resume his playing career.
“Wala naman siyang sinasabi sa akin na hindi na siya makakapaglaro so I think he can still play,” he added.
His brother’s condition of course, served as extra motivation for Yukien to play out his final collegiate season on a winning note as the Red Lions attempt to retain their men’s basketball title in Season 100.
“Every season naman I’ve been always playing for my brother. And this one is no exception,” said Andrada who finished with 18 points and nine rebounds in San Beda's 76-69 overtime win over Mapua at the end of the first of eliminations Tuesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
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