THREE years ago, Rey Remogat and Gani Stevens were wearing red-and-white, pondering how things would have been knowing they could have done more pushing into the win column.
That was Season 85 and University of the East proved to be a tough cookie for the league, yet only managed to finish with a 5-9 win-loss card.
Since then, a lot has changed, first with the tireless 6-foot-7 Stevens opting out of Recto after just one year and the shifty 5-foot-10 Remogat following suit a season after.
Fast forward to now and they find themselves together again, this time for the maroon-and-green and now representing the University of the Philippines.
Funny how life works, chuckled Remogat.
“Naalala ko nung umalis si Gani sa UE, hinabol ko pa yan eh, tinatawagan ko,” he reminisced. “Hindi naman sa nagmamakaawa, pero parang sinasabi ko sa kanya na gawin nating winning team yung UE. May mga ganoong moment na naisip talaga namin.”
“That team was super close,” reflected Stevens of that squad which also included Luis Villegas, Kyle Paranada, CJ Payawal, Harvey Pagsanjan, Abdul Sawat, and the last Red Warrior standing Wello Lingolingo.
“Me and Noy especially, we had a good bond. That whole team, the chemistry was there.”
Warriors-turned-Maroons
Times and jerseys may have changed, but the opportunity to rekindle that bond just feels oh too special for these ex-UE stalwarts, this time as Fighting Maroons.
“Nakakatuwa lang na alam mo na maibabalik namin yung moments na ganoon, na matutuloy namin yung mga bagay na nagagawa namin before,” said Remogat ahead of his first UAAP game against his former squad and school on Sunday.
Stevens replied: “For Noy to come here, it just made me super comfortable. I have a point guard that I know is going to lead us alongside some of the other veteran guys. So I have all my faith in him and it's just really good. It's just running it back.”
This time, they vow things would be a lot more different - even as early on in Season 88, State U has been tripped to a 0-2 start in its title defense.
“Ngayon, mas maayos na sistema and mas malalim na bench,” said Remogat.
Stevens was more straightforward: “A lot more winning this time.”
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