BY MILES ARCENAL
AFTER missing two games due to a shoulder strain, San Beda captain Yukien Andrada returned to the floor and immediately gave the Red Lions the lift they needed in their 81-64 bounce back win over Emilio Aguinaldo College.
His numbers in his return may not be flashy after finishing with nine points, a rebound, and an assist in 20 minutes against the Generals – but his leadership was evident especially after the team needed steadying after the shock loss to the Heavy Bombers.
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“Masakit sa’min ‘yung talo na ‘yun, pero we just used that as our motivation for this game, finally get our groove back again,” Andrada said.
“Just happy to be back with my teammates enjoying the game,” he added.
“I think it’s a big factor that I was here today. I was able to bring back my team, the confidence, and I think trust nila sa’kin hindi pa rin nawawala although I missed a lot of shots.”
Still visibly shaking off rust after two weeks out, Andrada admitted he’s continuing to recover from the injury he sustained during the third period of their opener against Benilde where he scored 11 points, four boards, and added three dimes.
“Medyo nagre-recover pa rin ako pero cleared na ako for playing,” he said.
“More on my legs and conditioning pa siguro kasi two practices palang ‘yung na-attendan ko before this game,” he said.
With his leadership setting the tone, the Red Lions rediscovered their rhythm and their identity just when they needed it most.
But Andrada knows the work isn’t over yet.
“We have to stay locked in kasi Mapua agad kalaban namin. Even though we won this game big, we have to stay in the middle and keep improving,” he said.
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