Despite being cold from beyond the arc during their first games in NCAA Season 99, University of Perpetual Help System DALTA’s Jun Roque is relieved to finally see his perseverance pay off against reigning defending champions Letran Knights.
The 21-year-old put up a double-double against the Knights, scoring a game-high 22 points while also grabbing 11 boards. Moreover, after not hitting any threes during the first-half, Roque would finally break free from his shooting shackles as he drained six triples in the second half to help the ALTAS to victory.
With Roque's hot-shooting act, Perpetual head coach Myk Saguiguit had nothing but praises for his sophomore catalyst.
“Si Jun nagbe-benefit kasi magaling siyang humanap ng puwesto eh. Lagi siyang available d'un sa spots na nira-run naming sets. Luckily, siguro hindi rin eh, kasi shooter naman talaga siya, he’s getting the shots in,” said Saguiguit.
(Jun benefits because he knows where to find the spots. He's always available on the spots where we run the sets. Luckily, or perhaps not, because he's a shooter, he's getting the shots in.)
Knowing that his team has been struggling from downtown, Saguiguit is optimistic that their 12 threes against Letran is the start of a good run of form.
“Siguro magtutuloy-tuloy na 'yan kasi I think this is the first time na maganda 'yung shooting namin sa stat sheets eh. And also hopefully, Roque can continue hitting shots for us.”
(Hopefully this continues because I think this is the first time that we had good shooting in terms of stats. Hopefully also, Roque can continue hitting shots for us.)
Responding to the sentiments of his head coach, Roque said he is thankful for the environment Perpetual has given him to correct his mistakes and grow more as a player.
“Sobrang saya ko. At saka sumunod lang ako sa game plan ng mga coaches eh. Tapos, 'yun nga, 'pag tinitira ko, nabibigla na lang ako na pumapasok kasi ilang games na ako walang [shooting] sa tres eh.”
“Sobrang nagpapasalamat lang ako kay coach sa opportunity na binigay niya sa akin na bigger role na ginagampanan ko ngayon," added Roque.
(I'm very happy. I'm just following the game plan of the coaches. When I shoot, I am just surprised it comes through since I had a hard time shooting threes in the past games. I am thankful to coach for the opportunity and bigger role that has been given to me.)
Saguiguit and Roque also shared a moment post-game, as the head coach affirmed the Pampanga native to be one of the key cogs of the ALTAs this season.
“Ibang tao na 'yung nagsasabi nun, p're. Isa ka na sa mga main guys. Panindigan mo na 'yan,” acclaimed Saguiguit.
(You are one of the main guys, as other people would say. Stand by it.)
Roque, Saguiguit, and the rest of Perpetual look to pad on to their two -game winning streak when they go head-to-head against San Beda University on Tuesday, October 17.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
