EVEN as he carves his trail in the PBA, CJ Cansino will always find time to back his Fighting Maroons up.
He’s won a UAAP championship and reached the Finals thrice with the Fighting Maroons, but there’s one particular attribute that State U has embodied better than it has ever done before.
Maturity, on and off the court.
Follow the leaders, leaders, leaders
It’s not just the likes of JD Cagulangan, Gerry Abadiano, and Harold Alarcon who have been taking the leadership role in stride for a talent-stacked University of the Philippines.
It’s everyone, from the youngest of rookies to the oldest of seniors.
“Itong team na ‘to, mas nag-mature na ‘yung mga bata kasi sila na ‘yung mga nagle-lead talaga. Naging mas experienced sila ngayon kasi ang dami na nilang pinagdaanaan and hopefully magamit nila ‘yon para sa Finals,” Cansino said.
READ: Years of Battles of Katipunan polished UP's Goldwin Monteverde into a better coach
“Happy ako kasi nakukuha nila ‘yung game nila when it comes to playing the team game. Chemistry nila nandu’n na rin and knowing coach Gold (Monteverde) kasi, maganda talaga ‘yung sistema niya.
“Sobrang happy ako na malapit na sila sa pinaka-goal nila.”
UP’s ‘solution mindset’
Watching rather than playing for the Fighting Maroons still takes time getting used to for Cansino.
With his first conference for Meralco done and dusted, the former UP captain looked back at the most valuable part of the State U culture which has propelled his pro career to a promising start.
Moreover, the resemblances between Monteverde and Bolts consultant Nenad Vucinic made his jump from the UAAP to PBA much easier.
“Marami akong nadala from UP to Meralco kasi ang dami ko na ring pinagdaaanan, pero ‘yung pinaka-nadala ko is ‘yung winning mentality ng UP. Alam mo ‘yun, ‘yung kahit anong mangyari, solution mindset pa din," he said.
“Ngayon sa PBA, happy ako na ‘yung system ni coach Gold, hindi malayo kay coach Nenad. So alam mo na ‘yung mga players sa UP pag nakapaglaro sila sa PBA, maraming, maraming matututunan.
“Kaya thankful ako kasi nakapaglaro ako sa UAAP. Nakakaba pala manood, kaya mas masarap pa rin maglaro. Mas nakakawala ng kaba ‘pag naglalaro. Iba pa rin ‘yung feeling.”
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