WITH Precious Momowei, you got to take the bad with the good.
This is the unassailable fact that University of the East has learned to live with over the past three seasons, acknowledging that the rewards of having the 6-foot-9 Nigerian far outweigh the risks that come with them.
But for coach Chris Gavina, he sees a much more in Momowei than the monster he appears to be on the court.
“I kind of understood more of why he was so volatile and I think it's more than the X’s and O’s,” he told SPIN.ph, sharing the anecdote which really explained the method to his big's madness.
“In our first-ever team building, he shared his story of coming from Nigeria and the war-torn stories of being there and just surviving. So that explained a lot why he wears his heart on his chest every single time and fights for everything, because that’s what he had to do all his life.”
It also helps that Gavina can relate, with the first-year shot-caller professing: “I'm too damn volatile half the time, so they get it from me.”
READ: Gavina, Momowei hope to spread passion to rest of rebuilding UE
Luckily, he has introduced sports psychology sessions not just for Momowei, but for the whole team.
“I think it's been helping us in regards to how to deal with a level of angst and controlling our emotions. I walked in a couple of classes and it helped me actually, so hopefully that'll kick in when the season starts,” he said.
Our Precious
Temperamental as the 23-year-old banger may be, Momowei’s passion has, more often than not, lit a fire under the Red Warriors - and Gavina couldn’t help but marvel at the latter's growth not just as a senior but as one of the leaders for this crew.
“He's going to get his numbers no matter what, but he's really grown into becoming a leader for us,” he said.
“You can see it in the games even when he’s being played physical and he wasn't his normal self as he gets frustrated, I just tell him find a solution and he’s really taking it upon himself to find that solution and be that solution.”
Certainly, it’s going to be one of the things to watch out for with the Red Warriors this upcoming UAAP Season 88.
And if all of them do find a way through, Precious might just get the ring he covets the most.
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