VEEJAY Pre may be the unquestionable best rookie in coach Sean Chambers’ eyes, but Janrey Pasaol is just as important for Far Eastern University’s success this UAAP Season 87 and moving forward.
The first-year mentor beamed at how great the Davaoeno guard has been for the program, praising how the 5-foot-11 guard has been playing beyond his years.
“Since day one when I arrived here in April, Janrey has been our leader. Veejay gets the numbers, but Janrey is the general on the court,” he said.
Pasaol - together with Pre and Jedric Daa - has been among those who have led the youth revolution in the Tamaraws’ stable.
Their growth has been a sight to behold in this campaign especially with how they have competed with the league’s big boys.
And Chambers just couldn’t thank his young guns enough, as they have really stepped up to the plate, finding themselves still in the thick of things with their 5-8 win-loss record after their 65-54 victory over Ateneo on Saturday.
READ: FEU adds Ateneo to list of second round victims
“We’re so lucky because we have nine rookies in our roster and all those rookies are going to be dynamite as we build forward,” he said.
Next great FEU guard?
Without a doubt, Pasaol is a big reason for that.
Chambers noted that when the younger brother of University of the East great Alvin plays well, that rubs off on the rest of the team.
“When Janrey is playing well like today, he’s amazing to watch because he has such great feel for the game,” he said, with Pasaol putting up career-high numbers of 14 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and two steals in the Tamaraws’ triumph over the Blue Eagles.
“I still have to remind him the little things on defense, but he has been taking it getting better and better.”
And it’s not just on the court, but also off of it, as Pasaol’s jovial demeanor has also helped greatly in alleviating the pressure for this youthful FEU side, while helping the team overachieve.
“Janrey is an absolutely a joy to coach because he loves the game,” noted Chambers.
“He’s always smiling from the practices to the games and he’s always happy to be there. He’s just like this all the time and that’s why Janrey is huge for our team.”
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