By Vince Matthew Jaramilla

Coming off from his career-game against University of Santo Tomas (UST) last October 27, Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraw rookie Veejay Pre showcased another impressive play against the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors, 59-51, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men's basketball tournament earlier today, November 3, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila City.

The super rookie tallied 20 points and eight rebounds on a 56.3-percent shooting. 

In the post-game conference, Pre highlighted his main goal to just contribute to winning.

"Masaya ako pero ang main goal ko talaga is makatulong and manalo every game… Naging motivation lang sa'kin 'yung mga pagkatalo namin and sabi ni Coach Sean sa'kin na 'I believe in you' (I'm happy but my main goal is really to contribute and win every game… Our losses just motivated me and Coach Sean [Chambers] told me, 'I believe in you')," he said.

Coach Sean then spoke with pride about the rookie's potential.

"Veejay is tremendous… Hopefully, one day, he's representing the country. I think Veejay is that talented and he's still getting comfortable… I think he's the future of the UAAP," Chambers added.

FEU started out hot behind a fast-paced offense and Pre's early six points, 13-5. This forced UE to call a timeout with 5:23 left in the first frame.

The green-and-gold squad did not slow down after the break, launching a 10-4 run with quick execution and hard-nosed defense to end the quarter at 23-9.

In the second canto, the Tamaraws's defense remained solid as the Warriors only got their first basket after three minutes, 26-11.

Still, the two teams went on a seesaw affair. FEU's efficient outside shooting was just enough to counter UE's play calls, maintaining a 14-point lead at the end the half, 34-20.

With added physicality, the game's quick pacing continued into the second half as both teams drove to their baskets to score and draw fouls.

The Recto squad switched to foreign student-athlete (FSA) Precious Momowei as the focal point of their offense, while Morayta cager Pre continued his impressive play with six third-quarter points already midway through, 42-30.

Despite UE knocking down tough buckets, FEU's Jorick Bautista and Janrey Pasaol dropped a triple and a buzzer-beating floater, respectively, in the last minute of the frame to keep them at bay, 47-34.

To start the fourth quarter with momentum, Pre had and-one opportunities with easy baskets, but his bonus free throws did not drop.

Unfortunately, red-and-white cagers John Abate and Rainer Maga scored a trey and a close jumper to answer, cutting the lead down to 10 and forcing a green-and-gold pause, 51-41.

Momowei's dominance in the paint also remained an issue for the Tamaraws. Fortunately, FEU's lead was too much for UE to surmount in very little time.

The match did not get closer than a three-possession game, and the Morayta cagers' free throws were just enough to seal the win, 59-51.

With their next game being against Kevin Quiambao and De La Salle University, Pre emphasized the team's courage in going up against such a powerhouse.

"Lalaban lang kami and 'di kami magpapatalo. Against KQ, makakaharap ko na naman siya, marami na naman akong learnings and mag-e-enjoy lang ako do'n (We will just fight and not yield. Against KQ, I'll face him again, I'll have a lot of learnings again and I will just enjoy)," he stated.

The Chambers-led squad's bout against the defending champions will be on Wednesday, November 6, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

(Photo by Karch Rafael/FEU Advocate)