MICHAEL Phillips doesn't need anybody else to tell him of the heightened expectations in UAAP Season 85.
He'd be the first to demand those from himself as he looks for a better performance this year for La Salle.
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"It's my second season na, so gusto kong maging leader as a team," he said.
"It’s something na I’ve been saying since the last season ended and it’s something na I really want to add to my game and egg my teammates to be great in their own way, to really use my experience to help them."
Michael Phillips and the Archers eye the title after reaching the semifinals last season.
Focus is on the 6-foot-7 Phillips, a Mythical Team selection last season, after the graduation of Justine Baltazar and a few coaches have named him as a potential MVP contender.
"Definitely, I’m very grateful for many praises and many things, but we kinda used everything as motivation and it brought the team together," he said as La Salle aims higher exiting at the semis stage in UAAP Season 84.
"For what we went through this offseason and just put up with everything just bonded the guys, yung sinabi ni Evan [Nelle] is that our team bonding has really improved this season. It’s something that we have every game. We’re having fun playing together and it’s nothing better than being with the guys."
Phillips and La Salle look to fulfill coach Derick Pumaren's goals of turning them from mere contenders to a legitimate championship-caliber crew.
"We need to take it one game at a time," he said. "We’re still a young team but we have one year of experience. Just staying together, know who you’re playing for, play for the Animo spirit, and that’s something we can use as fuel. Hopefully we’ll see more of the community here and that's something that will give us the fuel to take it all the way."
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