THERE’S no pain quite like going down with an injury in the biggest stage of all two years ago in the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball finals.
Left reeling for months with an ailing right knee, Terrence Fortea missed out on the University of the Philippines' eventual championship defeat to Ateneo that year before returning midway through Season 86 against the same team he went down against.
Hence, the last two offseasons for the 23-year-old playmaker were all about rediscovering the mojo that once had him as one of the most promising prospects coming out of high school.
With National University-Nazareth School, he was a deadshot whom you can't leave even just a sliver of space. And even if you did defend him the best you can, his ballhandling can still get him to his spots.
You know, reminiscent of another Terrence in former Far Eastern University gunslinger and current San Miguel contributor Terrence Romeo.
Fortea did put that on full display in his first season for the Fighting Maroons, when he averaged 3.9 points and 1.8 assists, while also totaling 10 threes and proving to be a big part of their title run.
Then the injuries came. And while it may all be coincidence, State U settled for back-to-back silver medals in the last two years.
Pain and gain
Again, it may be all coincidence, but UP is undefeated through five games in the ongoing tournament. Through it, Fortea has posted per game counts of 6.2 points in 52.6-percent shooting, including a 6-of-14 clip from deep, on top of 2.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
READ: UP fights back from horror 9-31 start to frustrate Adamson
Still, what matters most now for him is to exorcise the ghosts of an injury-riddled past and help lead UP’s pursuit of championship glory.
“Offseason pa lang, minindset ko na na tapos na yung nangyari na yun kasi mahirap din na iisipin ko pa yung injury ko. Mas hinayaan ko na siya, mas nagpalakas ako, at mas nag-focus ako sa mga kontrolado kong positive,” Fortea told SPIN.ph.
“Sa mga games ngayong season, iniisip ko lang na tapos na ‘yung last season, kung anuman ‘yung napakita ko nu’n. Ngayon, kung may mga minutes ako na ibibigay ni coach [Goldwin Monteverde], gagawin ko lang lahat para maka-contribute sa team.”
Fighting through fears
Indeed, one important person who was there for Fortea through the rough patch in his budding career was none other than UP head coach Monteverde.
Fortea shared how one conversation with the champion mentor helped him come to terms with how he must move forward with what remains in his time as the Fighting Maroons' unholstered gunner.
“Part na ‘yun siguro talaga na may takot ka kasi baka mamaya maulit ulit. Sabi nga sa’kin ni coach Gold one time nu’ng nag-usap kami, ‘pag nag-dwell lang ako sa ganung mindset, wala ring patutunguhan kung ‘di ako magte-take ng risks,” Fortea said.
“Kung anuman ‘yung mangyari, haharapin ko lang nang buo.”
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