HEADING into game three of the UAAP Season 88 finals, wary eyes were on La Salle’s second-year guard Vhoris Marasigan, who was coming off a tough performance in their previous game that would have reclaimed the championship.
Burdened as the Archer who missed the potential game-winning shot against UP, Marasigan kept his head high and entered Wednesday’s winner-take-all bout, paying no mind to naysayers.
“Hindi naman ako naapektuhan kasi iniisip ko nga mag-move forward na lang. Kaysa isipin ko nang isipin baka makagulo pa sa akin,” Marisagan told SPIN.ph.
“Sinabihan naman ako ng mga teammates ko na ‘focus lang, and babawi ka,’ ayun lang.”
READ: La Salle a champion anew after besting UP in title trilogy
With the urge to make up for his previous performance and a coliseum of 24,339 spectators eager to see what he has in store, Marasigan braced for his final sophomore game.
And bounce back he did, delivering 10 points, two steals, and not a single turnover in sight.
But more importantly, Marasigan scored five crucial points down the stretch to retake the lead from State U in the 3:25 mark of the game.
His back-to-back hits jumpstarted La Salle’s backbreaking rally which brought the championship back to Taft and shut the door on UP’s back-to-back hopes.
With the title back in their hands, Marasigan felt relieved that his faith and confidence would reward him.
“Parang noong season namin, ang daming nangyari. Injury, suspension, ayun,” he said.
“Buti nakuha namin yung championship kahit lubog kami.”
For Norris
But aside from making up for game two, winning the title means so much more for the guard out of Balayan, Batangas.
It was also a payback of sorts for the championship that the Fighting Maroons took from them a season ago, one that he was supposed to dedicate to his late father.
“Sobrang sakit kasi akala ko ayun na yung magpapasaya sa akin simula nung nawala yung daddy ko. Parang nung natalo kami, bumagsak din yung confidence ko,” he said.
“Sabi ko naman sa kanila, ‘next year, babawi tayo.’ And nag usap-usap din kami ng mga teammates ko pagkatapos ng talo na babawi kami next year.”
With La Salle now crowned as Season 88 champions, not only did Marasigan dedicate the title to his father, but also to his five-month-old daughter.
While most athletes go through a whirlwind of experiences, very few can match the tribulations Marasigan endured on and off the court in just his first two years in the UAAP.
And for that many trials, the six-foot-two guard remained thankful that he endured that much of an adversity with his brothers to now be celebrating as a champion.
“Ang dami namin natutunan. Kahit kulang-kulang kami, still fighting pa rin kami. Nagpapasalamat din ako sa mga teammates ko na walang-sawang lumaban hanggang dulo.”
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