Luis Pablo has finally bared his fangs for DLSU.
With bandages nearly covering one side of his face, Luis Pablo stood proudly as he sang De La Salle University’s Alma Mater Hymn at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
After a sluggish start to UAAP Season 88, Pablo finally took aim for the Archers, showing the way with a game-high 14 points along with six boards in their 72-69 statement win against their rival UP Fighting Maroons on Sunday.
Crucial to the breakout game, Pablo said, was blocking out all the external chatter heading into the match, whether it was about facing his former team, or the doubts that emerged from losing Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan ahead of the rivalry game.
“Siguro ayun nga, I was so calm before the game even started, hindi ko ino-overthink ‘yung mga bagay eh. I’m just prepared for whatever will happen on the floor,” Pablo told The GAME in an exclusive interview after the win.
The six-foot-seven forward more than held his own against State U’s frontline, battling down low and showing immense hustle even after his face was wounded due to accidental collisions in the highly-physical affair.
“Kasi that’s what Coach Topex wants me to do on the floor, and that is to help the guys on defense; the 50-50 balls, loose balls, everything,” Pablo, who did post-game interviews with bandages on his face, said.
“And then syempre Coach T gave me the green light, he gave me the signal na you can do it, but make sure that you go hard and you go strong. Hearing that from a coach and having that blessing is super motivating, talagang sobrang nakakagana maglaro eh.”
Like his other teammates, Pablo was motivated by the injuries to Baclaan and Amos, two stars that he spent residency with after departing from State U last year. As Pablo says, he and the pair have a brotherly relationship, often spending their time cracking jokes in practice and talking about life off the court.
According to Pablo, Baclaan even sent an uplifting message ahead of Sunday’s game, which became a source of motivation along with the trust he received from Coach Topex.
“Kean messaged me last night na ‘Wala ako sa game para i-kalma ka, para i-motivate ka, and ayun, naniniwala ako sayo at alam ko magiging maganda laro mo bukas’. Talagang ‘yun ‘yung exact words na sinabi niya sa akin. So parang bago ka matulog, maka-receive ka ng ganong message, sobrang nakakagana and uplifting talaga,” Pablo said of the shifty guard’s message.
As his own show of support, Amos was in uniform for Sunday’s game despite wearing a right leg brace.
“I’m sure nakita niyo [si Mason], he’s still on the bench supporting us. From that pa lang, you can see what type of person he is, he’s not selfish and he really cares about this team, so yeah, I really love him,” Pablo said.
“I would take a bullet for Mason and Kean, and my way of showing that is putting it all out on the floor.”
Job’s not finished
Even with his newfound confidence, Luis Pablo is far from settled with his breakout game, knowing that he has a lot left to show in DLSU’s UAAP Season 88 campaign. With more minutes expected to come his way, Pablo is taking it upon himself to get better as the season moves forward.
“Sinabi rin ni Coach T na matagal niya ine-expect sa akin maglaro ng ganon, so sobrang happy ako na I played really well today. Pero ‘yun nga, I’m still not satisfied, and I’m still gonna learn from this game and I’m still gonna reflect on what I have to improve on,” he reflected.
As of writing, DLSU sits at fourth with a 4-3 record behind UP (4-3), the UST Growling Tigers (5-2), and league-leading NU Bulldogs (6-1) in their quest for a Final Four spots for the ongoing season. The road won’t be any easier once Round 2 opens, but Pablo knows that he and DLSU have enough fight to keep their quest for redemption alive.
“Like what Mike [Phillips] said kanina, the importance of this team is our bond; it’s not our skills and talents, but it’s our bond as grown men.”
Images courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.