PLAYING in the UAAP is definitely a different beast in itself compared to the game in the NCAA.
And that's the reality that dawned on Jed Mendoza as he has started playing his lone year for University of the East.
The "one-and-done" player from Jose Rizal University has been pedestrian in his first two games for the Red Warriors this UAAP Season 82, averaging only 7.0 points and 4.0 rebounds as he adjusts to being one of the role players for the Recto crew.
"Bago pa ako pumunta sa UE, alam ko naman yung role ko rito na hindi na ako makakakuha masyado ng touches at mas role player na ako. Kinuha ako ng UE to guide them at ipakita yung pagka-veteran ko," the 6-foot guard said.
But on Wednesday, Mendoza showed a glimpse of what he could do for the red-and-white, uncorking 17 points, four assists, and three rebounds in UE's tough 91-80 defeat to Adamson.

Jed Mendoza defends Jerrick Ahanmisi.
The loss may have sent the Red Warriors to their third straight defeat as they played without Senegalese big man Alex Diakhite, but they sure got a silver lining with the way Mendoza has held himself in the game.
And the 21-year-old hopes to build on this performance.
"Hopefully naman," he said. "Uunti-untiin namin, step-by-step. Mahirap biglain pero alam naman namin yung role namin at alam namin na kaya namin makipagsabayan. Suportahan lang kami."
The same goes for active consultant Lawrence Chongson who expects Mendoza to be one of UE's stabilizers.
"Alam naman niya na when we got him, talagang may purpose ako para sa kanya. Alam naman ng lahat one-and-done yan, so he’s not just any ordinary pickup. Kinuha namin talaga siya to step up right away and hopefully, this is a start," he said. "He played two so-so games before and sana magtuluy-tuloy pa."
But for the Red Warriors to do that, Mendoza said that it all boils down to plain and simple effort.
"Siguro, kulang pa kami sa aggressiveness tsaka sa puso. So dagdagan na lang namin yung effort namin kasi kulang na kulang pa talaga," he said. "Hopefully sa mga susunod na game, magawa na namin yun."
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