THERE were more than just a few bright spots in the UP Maroons' clinical Game One win over La Salle in the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball finals.
Tedious as his path to the big stage has been, UP's showstopping second-year forward Aldous Torculas has made the most of his championship minutes to date with nine points, 10 rebounds, two steals, and a block in just 15 minutes of play.
From joining the team bubble in Season 84 as a high school prospect to hardly getting any gametime in his rookie year in Season 85, patience is quite the understatement to describe what Torculas had to give to come this far.
READ: 'Zero pressure' as UP rookie Francis Lopez owns Finals stage
And in his first-ever finals game this Season 86, the Maroons' scintillating 6-foot-4 spark plug off the bench didn't disappoint as he lit up the floor with his signature highlight dunks.
"Siyempre hindi rin maiwasang mag-enjoy. Kumbaga, finals eh so ‘yung mga ganung highlight (dunks), part lang siya ng game. Pero siyempre ako, naha-hype din talaga and ‘di rin maiwasang ngumiti.
"Natutuwa lang din ako kasi ‘yung mga reactions nila CJ (Cansino), nila Malick (Diouf), nila Maimai (JD Cagulangan), nakaka-boost siya ng energy," said Torculas in an ambush interview.
Alongside all-important words of advice from his graduating senior and good friend CJ Cansino, the former UPIS hotshot made it a point to never stop learning — whether he waits patiently for his time on the bench or takes flight on the court.
"Dati, taga-observe lang ako nu’ng (Season) 85 and tina-try ko siya i-transfer (‘yung learnings) dito sa finals kasi ‘yung na-experience namin last year, sobrang sakit.
Torculas added: ‘Yung pressure, nandyan talaga, hindi maiwasan. Pero lagi kong sinasabi sa sarili ko na mag-relax, panoorin ‘yung game kasi hindi naman ako first five, and try to observe para ‘pag pinasok na ako, I’ll make the most out of it."
And with the title now within arm's reach, an opening win in the finals is but a mere cushion and not a championship guarantee for Torculas & Co.
"Sobrang importante nito kasi kumbaga, may advantage na kami pero sinasabi namin sa sarili namin na ‘di pa tapos. Good thing lang na may advantage kami pero kailangan next game, mas dagdagan pa namin ‘yung effort namin to win the championship."
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