By Joshua Kyle Beltran

Showing his support, former Baby Tamaraw Janrey Pasaol urged the Far Eastern University-Diliman (FEU-D) under-19 boys team to believe in themselves following a Finals comeback for the first time in three seasons in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 high school boys’ basketball tourney.

“Maniwala lang sa sarili, huwag kayo makinig sa sasabihin ng iba. Basta ibuhos niyo lang ang lahat ng makakaya niyo (Just believe in yourselves, do not listen to what others have to say. Always remember to give your all), because at the end of the day, it’s just basketball,” Pasaol said in an online interview with FEU Advocate.

Before returning to the Finals this season, FEU-D’s last appearance was in Season 85—and coincidentally, the same time in which Pasaol helped drive the team to a championship before moving onto the collegiate ranks.

Same colors, different time. Pasaol dons the green-and-gold jersey in his high school years 

After deeming it his ‘favorite moment’ as a Baby Tamaraw, the Season 88 men’s basketball Most Valuable Player (MVP) looked back on his high school title run while speaking highly of the team’s seniors and their growth—who were also his former teammates. 

“Siyempre, unang-una masaya, kasi ‘yung mga seniors nila ngayon, mga nakakasama ko pa dati like sila Cabs [Cabonilas], [Marc] Burgos, at Yosef [Rañeses] nung nag-champion kami. Sobrang laki na ng in-improve ng mga bata… Ngayon, sila na ‘yung mga leader [sa team] (I am happy, because I used to play with their seniors—Cabonilas, Burgos, and Rañeses—when we also won the championship. They have grown so much, now they are leading the team),” he shared.

Having gone through their experience firsthand, the green-and-gold point guard remained confident that FEU-D can defy expectations for as long as they trust in the school's strong program—one that worked for Pasaol and the many players before him. 

“Mag-focus lang sila sa laro at one game at a time lang. Malakas naman team nila, magtiwala lang sila sa sistema ng mga coaches at sa sarili nila (They should just focus on things one game at a time. They are strong, for as long as they trust the system and in themselves),” the Season 88 MVP expressed.

The Baby Tamaraws are set to face former finalists National University Nazareth School in a best-of-three Finals series starting later today, 3 p.m., at the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
(Photo by Ma. Louela Luna/FEU Advocate; Photos courtesy of the UAAP Media Team)