HOLD your horses, that’s what University of Santo Tomas co-captain Forthsky Padrigao is calling for.
Even with a spectacular UAAP Season 88 start at the expense of the finals rivals in the past two years, Padrigao and crew are still taking it one game at a time.
“I don't think na may napatunayan na kami,” he explained on the heels of their triumph over runner-up La Salle, just a week after routing defending champion University of the Philippines.
READ: Cabanero finds joy as other Tigers growl in UST statement win
“Yes, we're happy na we're winning, but you know, we only look at it as progress for our team.”
Pardon Thomasians and black-and-gold fans for getting their hopes up, however, as convincing victories like this have been quite rare for them in recent history. In fact, before the 93-84 decision, they have been at the losing end against the Green Archers 16 times in a row.
READ: UST keeps living up to the hype after takedown of La Salle
Padrigao was key in ending that losing spell, making up for lost time due to his one-game suspension to start the season and tallying 12 points, nine rebounds, and three steals off the bench.
Still, UST is making sure its eyes remain on the prize - winning it all is always the goal, but stacking up victories come first.
As he explained, “Ganun yung approach ng coaches sa amin eh. Yes, sinasabi nila, bigger picture, championship.”
“But the smaller picture is, paano kayo lalaro every possession. Yung mga malilit na bagay na importante for us na we need to really learn,” he added.
From the nest to the den
Aside from his elite guard play, another premium that comes with having Padrigao on your squad is his leadership.
With the 6-foot facilitator already having championship experience back in Ateneo, he knows a thing or two about keeping his head down and first zeroing in on the next game instead of the end of the line.
“Well, ever since naman, ganun yung approach namin. Kasi ‘yun nga, sa UAAP, ang daming pwede mangyayari kasi you will never know,” he said.
With plenty of seasons under his belt, Padrigao has seen his fair share of upsets and underdogs in the UAAP, upending powerhouses possessing the same narrative that they currently have.
So for Padrigao, it's actually pretty simple: until they bring back the championship to Espana, they have nothing to hold their heads high for.
“As long as 'di pa kami nananalo ng championship, wala pa kaming napapatunayan.”
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