MUCH has been said about the University of the Philippines’ vaunted backcourt led by JD Cagulangan and Gerry Abadiano, and as the Fighting Maroons entered the toughest stretch in their UAAP Season 87 campaign yet, it was those guards who brought them home.
Abadiano dropped a game-high 19 points, to go with four rebounds and two steals, while Cagulangan delivered down the stretch, as State U denied young yet dangerous Far Eastern University – effectively snapping its two-game losing skid and stopping the Tamaraws' late playoff charge.
READ: UP returns to form, ends FEU's late playoff charge
Cagulangan, forever immortalized in UP lore for his championship drought-ending shot back in Season 84, showed nerves of steel once again by scoring nine of UP's final 11 points after hitting just one of his 12 shots before his late game takeover.
“Na-feel ko lang yung tiwala ng teammates ko, pati yung coaches, nandun yung tiwala, so kahit anong mangyari, ma-shoot ko man or hindi, alam kong nandun tiwala nila sa'kin,” he stated.
Being veterans, both Abadiano and Cagulangan took it upon themselves to shepherd this young team past their struggles, reminding the Fighting Maroons that such dry stretches are actually all part of a winning campaign.
While unwelcome for the maroon-and-green, Abadiano made his squad understand the need to weather the storm.
“Hindi kami sanay na ganoong talo na back-to-back, so [tinake] lang talaga namin yung challenge na yun kasi yung basketball, hindi naman talaga perpekto yan eh, magkakaroon talaga ng ganoong challenges,” he said after making six of his 12 attempts from threes in the victory vs. FEU.
“Para sa'kin, ni-lift ko lang yung teammates ko na harapin yung ganoong challenges, bumounce back, and gawa lang kami ng paraan and mag-improve lang every day sa practice. Sobrang saya naman sa self ko na nangyari nga yun, na nag-improve kami, nagtulungan sa court.”
At the same time, Cagulangan emphasized to his teammates the need to go into the Final Four with momentum on their side, and he’s glad with how his teammates responded.
“Nung nag-usap kami, sinabi ko lang na gustuhin din nila na magkaroon ng momentum papasok ng Final Four. Nakita ko naman yung teammates nag-respond nang maayos,” he said.
“So I’m so happy na in-absorb nila yung sinabi ko - 'di lang naman ako, lahat ng veterans ng team namin, so thankful ako na nag-respond sila.”
Now that difficult stretch is over, the fifth-year guard believes they’re so much better because of it.
As Cagulangan put it, “For sure, marami kaming natutunan dito. Ang magandang nangyari, 'di kami bumitaw lahat, so malaking tulong samin to.”
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