FINALLY recording his best game to date, L-Jay Gonzales admitted that he's still far from top form.
"Di pa ako 100-percent kasi parang kumikirot pa ng konti yung ankle ko," he said after recording a season-best 20 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and one steal in Far Eastern University's narrow 83-76 loss to University of the Philippines on Saturday.
Gonzales bared that he's still hampered by the ankle sprain that forced him to sit out the team's opening day assignment and has been courageously standing up for the Tamaraws which is in dire need of his help as the Morayta squad flailed to a 3-4 record after the UAAP Season 84 first round.
"Sumasakit. So kung napapagod ako, parang sumasakit na," he said.
It explains his subpar production of 13.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.0 steal through six games, a slight dip from the numbers he produced in UAAP Season 82.
His inability to really go at full speed has also thrown a wrench on his highly anticipated reunion with RJ Abarrientos as the two have yet to showcase their fast-and-furious ways in their first season together in the seniors level.
LJay Gonzales hopes to do much better in the second round as the Tamaraws chase a top four spot.
Gonzales, though, is hopeful that he'll soon get his bearings back come the second round.
"Kailangan ko pa siguro mag-therapy hanggang sa gumaling yung ankle ko. Sa second round, siguro fully 100-percent ako maglaro," he promised.
But the responsibility for FEU doesn't solely fall on his or Abarrientos' shoulders as Gonzales urged his peers to perform better as a team to rectify the mistakes the crew committed in the first seven games of this campaign.
"Kailangan namin magtulungan as a team. Kailangan namin kung ano kulang namin, tatrabahuin namin hindi lang as individuals but as a team din. Kailangan namin ma-improve yung kulang namin dapat as a team," he said.
"Yun nga yung sinasabi ni coach Olsen sa amin, one game at a time. Yung depensa magpapanalo sa amin, hindi yung opensa. Yun lang naman yung laging sinasabi, execute namin yung play, gawin namin yung tama, and kung ano yung mga sasabhin ng mga coaches gagawin lang namin."
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