JUST before Rey Remogat bade University of the East farewell, he knew exactly who’d best slot in to the huge void he’d leave behind.
READ: As Rain Maga drops down on Ateneo, the sun shines once more on UE
It was 22-year-old rookie playmaker Rain Maga.
Not only did the University of the Philippines-bound ace guard identify Maga as a successor, but he also made it a point to reassure him that he’ll give justice to a much bigger role for the resurgent Red Warriors.
Making a great appearance
Remogat’s stamp of approval on Maga didn’t give the latter a free pass whatsoever to UE head coach Jack Santiago’s starting unit. He earned it.
Six games in, Maga tallied an average playing time of 18:12 minutes where he dished out 6.83 points per outing.
But like what Remogat and Santiago always told him, the sky’s the limit for this rising Warrior in the years to come.
“Nung pag-alis ni Rey, talagang kinakusap niya ako na talagang gawin ko ‘yung best ko lagi. Malaki rin ‘yung tiwala niya sa akin dahil parang chini-cheer niya talaga ako before the season na alam kong kaya-kaya kong gawin’yung role niya,” said Maga.
“Before season lang po, lagi rin kaming nag-usap ni Coach Jack after every practice na talagang ipu-push niya ako pati si Wello (Lingolingo) na talagang mag-lead sa loob ng court.
“Talagang ma-motivate rin kami ni Wello kasi head coach na ‘yung nagbibigay s’min ng go signal na gawin namin yung best namin sa loob kahit na anong mangyari. Talagang puso ‘yung labanan.”
Earned, not given
The six-foot Davaoeño rookie had to earn his stripes in a promising first-round run to date which saw a dismal 0-2 run turn into a 4-2 rise in what has now been the team’s second-longest UAAP win streak in eight years.
And his eight points topped by a pair of clutch triples, which saw a slow 7-19 third quarter pivot to a lopsided 32-17 final-frame beatdown, made it possible for UE to trump Ateneo for the first time since 2015.
Patience has been a virtue for Maga, to say the least.
But with the upswing that UE is treading to date, it goes without saying that his first act in the UAAP has proven to be worth the wait.
“Kumbaga, kaya ko rin nakukuha ‘yung minuto ko, gawa lang sa ensayo. Talagang pinu-push ko yung sarili ko na gawin yung best ko para makatulong din ako sa teammates ko.”
Maga added: “Grabe, sobrang saya. Hindi ko ma-explain ‘yung nararamdaman ko kasi lahat kami umangat na at nag-sstart na rin kaming ma-recognize ng ibang teams."
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