OF all the new transfers in the UAAP Season 87, perhaps there’s no player who had a bigger impact than University of Santo Tomas’ Forthsky Padrigao.
And it is no coincidence that in the year that Padrigao became eligible as a transferee from Ateneo, the Growling Tigers returned to the UAAP semifinals after five long years of waiting, several of those seasons spent at the bottom of the standings.
UST coach Pido Jarencio singled out Padrigao in his post-game press conference following the Tigers’ all-important 75-49 win over the Adamson Falcons which formally advanced the Tigers to the Final Four.
READ: UST books return to Final Four as Amiel Acido breaks out vs Adamson
Padrigao, after all, is the only player in this UST side with big game experience having starred in the Blue Eagles’ title run in UAAP Season 85.
“Yung mga bata, they deserve this win. Ang mga beterano lang na winners dito, si Forthsky, nakapasok ng finals, championship. Yung vast experience na meron kay Forthsky, [na-rub off] kila Nic, kila Amiel, sa mga players na nandito sa UST,” Jarencio said after Padrigao finished with six assists, two steals to go along his seven points in the blowout win.
“I’m so thankful na andito sa ’min si Forthsky.”
Forthsky leads teammates to oh-so familiar territory
Padrigao will end the season as the undisputed assists leader, putting up six assists per game despite the second-running JD Cagulangan of the UP Maroons still having a game left on schedule.
Padrigao is so far ahead in this category that the brilliant UP guard will have to put up 25 assists or more in their final game of the season versus the UE Red Warriors to usurp him from that position.
But he’s not only a gem offensively, he’s also one of their better perimeter defenders. He finished the season as the third-best in the steals department, putting up 1.5 steals just behind Cagulangan (1.8), and Mike Phillips (1.6).
These numbers make up for his uncharacteristic struggles from the field all throughout the season as he only put up 8.7 points per game on 30 percent shooting from the field - and 22 percent from downtown.
The Growling Tigers, though, didn’t bring him in for his scoring. They took him in exactly for situations like this – organizing their offense and being the stabilizer for their team especially in the biggest of games.
And there is no game bigger for the Growling Tigers – at least for now – than their showdown with the UP Fighting Maroons in the UAAP Season 87 playoffs.
READ: UST has UP’s number in the playoffs. Can these Tigers sustain it?
“Familiar territory. Alam ko mahihirap yung laro namin kasi from now on lahat ng laro namin magiging do-or-die na,” Padrigao said.
“So masaya kami talaga sa panalo, talagang masaya kami pero isa or dalawang araw na pahinga, UP na naman e, mahirap talunin ng dalawang beses yun kaya kailanan namin paghandaan.”
Padrigao can take solace from the fact that he’s playing with a team that’s already been tested, especially after a rough start which saw the Tigers lose three consecutive games to start the second round.
With their semis return all of a sudden in peril, the Growling Tigers showed up when it mattered the most by winning three of their last four games including the Adamson game where it was their bench – led by hot-shooting rookie Amiel Acido – who ignited the breakaway.
“Credit talaga sa teammates ko. They really showed up,” he said.
“Bench points namin 38 to Adamson’s 21 so I think yun ang naging difference so bigay natin sa teammates ko na talagang nag-step up kung kailan kailangan.”
READ: Pido wants to write new story with Final Four-bound UST
That’s the sign of a team that’s already overcome adversity and is ready to take things to the next level – in this case, a trip to the UAAP Final Four for the first time in five years.
“Kakaibang challenge to sa 'min e, kasi all throughout the season, di rin kami naging consistent, talagang up and down, up and down pero nakuha namin yung mga pinaka-importanteng panalo,” he said.
“Tyinaga talaga namin to e, ito yung pinakahihintay namin as a team.”
They might have reached their early goal of returning to the semifinals, but Padrigao insists that they’re not stopping here – especially when they’re all having fun while bringing UST's glory days.
“Hindi naman kami titigil dahil nakuha na namin yung Final Four,” he said. “Masarap kasama tong mga teammates ko. Masarap makipaglaban kasama tong mga to.”
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