Captain John Abate knows that Wello Lingolingo emerged as a better player from his three-game suspension.
University of the East may have bowed out of the UAAP Season 88 Final Four race on Wednesday, but captain John Abate was quick to point out one silver lining as their campaign winds down.
Veteran Wello Lingolingo finally made his return from a three-game suspension in UE’s 74-78 loss to the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Wednesday, finishing with 19 points, five rebounds, and four assists to backstop the one-two punch of Precious Momowei and Abate.
For Abate, having Lingolingo back on the court gives them another option on offense, especially with UE looking to avoid a winless campaign for Season 88.
“It’s definitely great. You know, it takes the pressure off of me a little bit. You know, it’s my partner in crime. I missed my brother, and I’m excited to have him come back for the next couple of games too,” Abate told reporters post-game.
Abate knows that UE will be getting a much better Lingolingo this time around. Rather than dwell on the time he’s lost, Lingolingo used his time off as an opportunity to become a better leader, along with placing importance on his physical fitness.
“Wello definitely learned to be more of a vocal leader, not only on the sidelines but also being part of our scouting team,” Abate said. “He really helped the players who don’t get that much playing time by really leading them and making sure that they do their part.”
“He’s definitely been putting in the extra work by spending more time in the weight room and being able to rehabilitate his body. But on the court and in practice, he was definitely more vocal, along with representing the other team’s best shooter or scorer, and that’s what’s really got us ready.”
While it’s not the trajectory they envisioned, John Abate and UE will continue to chase their first win for the season, starting with the UP Fighting Maroons this Saturday, November 8, at the Quadricentennial Pavilion.
They may no longer be in Final Four contention, but Abate reassured that UE will continue to play with a chip on their shoulder as they enter the homestretch of eliminations.
“It definitely hurts to not be in contention anymore, but playing with my brothers and not just Wello is something that I look forward to each and every day,” he said.
“I feel like we’ve been doing that all season long, but we definitely have more of a chip on our shoulder, and we want to end our season with a win, and hopefully we can do that for the next four games.”
Images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.