GJERARD Wilson isn’t sugarcoating what UAAP Season 87 means for him.
“Yes, it’s redemption year for me,” said the 6-foot-1 guard, as he looks to make the most of his final year in UE.
“I’m just happy to be back and blessed to be here. I worked hard to be here, so I’m just happy to be back.”
After all, it had been a tough last year for the 23-year-old Wilson.
Leaving NCAA Division II school Lemoyne-Owens College in Memphis for the Philippines, he wanted to make an instant impact in his first go-round with the Red Warriors.
Only, a shoulder injury abruptly ended his first season in just five games.
Making the situation tougher was that the Fil-Am slasher seemed like he was just about to get his groove going, averaging 6.0 points, 2.0 assists, and 1.4 steals – including a 15-point night against FEU.
Coming back from such layoff isn’t easy, Wilson admits. That’s why as driven as he is to come back stronger, there’s still some tinge of doubt playing in his mind, as he aims to return to full-strength all the more now that he’s counted on to be one of UE's leaders.
“The biggest adjustment was me being mentally strong,” he stated. “This is my first time coming back from an injury, so I just have to remain strong in my head, continue to work hard, and overcome adversity because I’ve never been through this before.”
Red-y for more
One thing working in Wilson’s favor is the support that he’s gotten from the Red Warriors, who have expressed confidence in his capabilities in taking charge.
And he has repaid that faith with that same level of trust to his fellow guards, especially in the fallout of Rey Remogat’s departure from Recto.
“The guards are ready. Last year, we had very good guards, but I think our guards are even better this year,” he said, praising the likes of Jack Cruz-Dumont, Ethan Galang, Rain Maga, and rookie Nico Mulingtapang.
“We work pretty hard, we have a lot of confidence, and we just trust our work. I’m not worried about our guard play at all. We have a lot of those, from playmaking to defending, I have no issue at all.”
That’s why for Wilson, there’s no other desire for the Red Warriors this season: “Championship. No less than the Final Four, but championship. That’s always the final prize.”
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