The Fighting Maroons’ veteran point guard is approaching his final season with a sense of purpose and urgency.
JD Cagulangan will forever be remembered as the player who ended a decades-long UAAP men’s basketball title drought for the UP community.
His three-point shot at the buzzer of Game 3 of the UAAP Season 84 finals gave the Fighting Maroons their first title since 1986.
However, two frustrating seasons followed for the Maroons, who lost consecutive Game 3s in Seasons 85 and 86. Last season’s loss to the De La Salle Green Archers was particularly painful, as UP led for most of the game only to collapse in the last few minutes.
Now, in Season 87, which incidentally will be hosted by UP, the Fighting Maroons are eager to bounce back and reclaim the title. This is especially true for Cagulangan, who will be playing in his final UAAP season and would like nothing more than to finish his college career with a bang.
“Sobrang motivated ako for this season kasi for the past two seasons talo kami,” he told The GAME in an exclusive interview during the ceremonial contract signing between Nowhere To Go But UP and STATS Technical Sportswear.
“Gusto kong manalo this season, but yung priority ko is gusto kong ma-reach yung pinaka-potential ko. Hindi lang sa akin, sa team din. Sana manalo kami this season.Alam ko naman paghihirapan ako.”
The team had a good off-season, winning their second straight Fil-Oil preseason title via an impressive 11-0 run and going undefeated in other tournaments and tune-up games until encountering some tough teams in Korea, where they went 4-4 against top professional squads.
Cagulangan said their trip to Korea, which was sponsored by longtime benefactor JJ Atencio, was “a good experience” for the team.
“Ang dami naming natutunan and ang dami naming ups and downs doon. With that experience, natuto yung team kung paano mag-regroup and paano mag-respond sa challenges na binibigay sa amin. It was fun kasi nagkakasama kami sa isang hotel and yung bonding namin as a team. Mas naging close kami.”
The Fighting Maroons will be parading some impressive rookies this season, including Jacob Bayla and Denzil Walker, plus UE transferee Gani Stevens. Cagulangan is excited to see what they will bring to the table when the season kicks off on September 7.
“Hindi sila matigas ang ulo and lagi sila nakikinig sa mga advice ng veterans and even sa mga coaching staff namin. Willing silang mag-improve.”
Another new face who joined the team in Korea is Quentin Millora-Brown, a six-foot-ten center who has US NCAA Division 1 playing experience.
Cagulangan has high praise for “QMB.”
“Yung experience niya doon sa US, sobrang advanced talaga. Even though one week pa lang siya or two weeks sa amin, na-adapt niya na kaagad yung system na gusto namin itakbo sa team. Yan nga yung maganda sa kanya. Willing pa siya mag-improve in terms of individual skills.
“In terms naman sa teammates, marunong naman siya makipag-gel sa amin. Hindi naman siya yung other player na ayaw makipag-bonding sa amin.”
When the Fighting Maroons start their quest for a second title in four years against the Ateneo Blue Eagles on opening weekend, they will be led by their veteran point guard JD Cagulangan, who is approaching the difficult task that lies ahead with a quiet confidence that hopefully rubs off on the rest of the team.
“Confident naman talaga ako,” he says. “And confident na alam din namin na kailangan talaga pagtrabahuan. Hindi basta-basta yung bibigay ng kalaban, kahit sinong kalaban. Hindi basta-basta yung bibigay yung panalo sa amin. Pero confident ako sa kung ano yung trinabaho namin during the offseason.”
Banner Image from UAAP Media Bureau.