By MARK REY MONTEJO
Versatile guard Nic Cabañero received a fitting gift from his squad on his 21st birthday after University of Santo Tomas toppled University of the East, 111-99, in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament at the Quadricentennial Pavilion last weekend.
Playing in his final year with the Growling Tigers, Cabañero expressed his gratitude to his teammates and coaches who joined him as he celebrated his special day.
“I’m grateful. Yesterday, nag-bonding kami ng mga coaches and teammates ko, I had a little celebration with them,” said Cabañero.
“I didn’t have any other celebration or what, kasama ko sila, in which sila ‘yong second family ko rito sa Manila,” he added. “I’m always grateful and thankful na sinamahan nila ako sa maligayang kaarawan ko.”
That bond boosted the performance of the Cebuano hotshot in front of the fans at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion where he came out inspired and steered the España-based squad with 22 points, three rebounds, eight assists, and two steals.
“Our bonding with our teammates and coaches also helps. It’s a big thing to help one another, to boost our confidence, even galing kami sa talo,” he continued.
Their victory over the Red Warriors stopped the Tigers’ bleeding after the latter crew got tamed by the National University Bulldogs, 76-69, to absorb their first loss last Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the same venue.
UST now holds a 3-1 record, tying with NU and just behind the unscathed Ateneo (4-0) in the standings.
But the one who took the cake was Collins Akowe as the 6-foot-10 Nigerian recovered from his previous dismal and stood up hoisting an 18-point, 17-rebound, two-assist, and three-block statline.
Far cry from his quiet output against the Bulldogs where he was under the weather, resulting in him having only five points with eight rebounds, two assists, and one steal in almost 32 minutes of action.
“Because after the game, I actually went home. I was feeling so sick, extremely sick. I was having a high temperature…” said Akowe. “Even the next day, I couldn’t practice, even yesterday, I was just in practice just to do my work.”
After a week-long respite, Cabañero, Collins, and the Tigers step on the hard court again with a mission of notching their back-to-back win against the Ateneo Blue Eagles Saturday, Oct. 11.
