UAAP: Point guard Hubert Cani’s got game 

 

On a day when some of the country’s best and brightest high school stars met in the first-ever SLAM Rising Stars Classic, one 5’11” point guard emerged as the Most Valuable Player. Hubert Cani, the Finals MVP in the UAAP Season 76 Juniors Basketball tournament, showed off his skills and provided the finishing kick in leading Team Hype over Team Punks, 93-90.

Rising Stars MVP

Though as of now he’s still undecided on where he will ply his wares at the Seniors level, Cani left no doubt that he’s for real with a 19-point, two-rebound, two-assist, two-steal performance for the squad coached by Jamike Jarin with Talk ’N Text Tropang Texter Jimmy Alapag serving as assistant coach.

Asked what he thought of his performance, Cani stated, “Siyempre, sobrang blessed talaga na nakuha ko ang MVP. Basta mas masarap manalo kesa matalo, kaya ginawa namin ang lahat para manalo kami.”

Juniors Champ

When the National University Bullpups rose to the top of the UAAP Juniors mountain in 2013, Cani was seen as the catalyst in that ascension. With former NU gunner Jeff Napa serving as coach, the Bullpups achieved what their Seniors counterparts could not: enter the Finals and win the top prize.

For a school starving for titles, whether it be in basketball or volleyball, this was no small feat for Cani and the Bullpups. It was reported by some that Cani wasn’t the easiest person to coach, and he owns up to that. He still gives respect to Napa though when he relates, “Natutunan ko kay Coach Jeff yung dispilina, yung laging makikinig sa coach, kasi lagi kaming nag-aaway ni Coach Jeff eh.”

We can only hope that those clashes result in improvement from the young Cani, wherever he plays next.

The present watches the future

The game itself was a tale of two halves and provided a showcase for 24 of the country’s top high school players. In fact, Meralco Bolt Jared Dillinger and Alapag’s Talk ‘N Text teammate Jayson Castro lent their support to “Mighty Mouse” by sitting behind Team Hype’s bench.

Since Team Punk was coached by Olsen Racela with an assist from Johnny Abarrientos (both San Mig Coffee assistant coaches), there was a decided SMC Mixers flavor to their bench too. Jerwin Gaco, Joe Devance, Rafi Reavis, Justin Melton, PJ Simon, and Alex Mallari all made their way behind the Team Punk bench.

Recently-crowned PBA Philippine Cup Finals MVP Mark Barroca and Gilas-Pilipinas sparkplug Marc Pingris also lent support to their coaches, while two-time PBA MVP James Yap entered the venue after the halftime break. Also on hand was another Mixers assistant, Richard Del Rosario.

[Related: Hubert Cani leads Team Hype past Thirdy Ravena's Team Punks in SLAM Rising Stars Classic]

The Gatorade Hoops Center on Shaw Boulevard thus allowed the current stars of Philippine basketball to catch a glimpse of the next generation of hoops heroes. What was a blowout for most of three quarters in favor of Cani and Team Hype turned into a tightly-fought contest in the final canto, mostly through the efforts of former Ateneo Blue Eaglet-turned-Blue Eagle Thirdy Ravena. However, Ravena lost the ball when a double-team collapsed on him on the final possession, preserving the win for Team Punks.

Raising his game

Despite winning the MVP in this game of high school standouts, Cani is well aware that there is a lot of room for improvement in his game. “Iba pa rin yung college level eh,” he notes. “Marami pa akong kailangang i-improve. Kailangan kong ma-improve yung defense, jumpshots.”

[Scouting report: The SLAM Rising Stars]

“Idol ko talaga si LA Tenorio at Jvee Casio,” Cani answers when pressed on which basketball players he’s patterned his game after. He’s quick to add, though that “yung daddy ko yung nagtuturo sa akin nung mga skills na ganun,” deferring to his father, Jon-jon Cani.

Until fairly recently, it had been reported that the younger Cani had been eyeing joining fellow SLAM Rising Stars Thirdy Ravena, Arvin Tolentino, Jay Javelosa, John Apacible, and Clint Doliguez at the Ateneo de Manila University as the Blue Eagles rebuild. But when pressed if he’s already committed, however, Cani denies that anything is final. “Pinagdidisyunan pa namin ng family ko,” was his ambiguous response.

In spite of that, Cani has surveyed the college basketball landscape and sees the challenges that face him at the Seniors level. “Siguro yung mga makakatapat ko na point guards din kasi sobrang gagaling nila, so kailangan ko ring mag-improve,” he says. “Kailangan kong mag-workout everyday para matanggal yung mga weaknesses ko.” Cani also states that, for him, the best of the current collegiate point guard crop is University of the East spitfire Roi Sumang.

Wherever Hubert Cani chooses to call home for the next few years, that institution will almost assuredly get a point guard with mad ball control, a nose for the ball, and a knack for making good basketball decisions when needed. The tug-of-war for his services is no surprise because in this young man, we might just have the next great Filipino point guard. - AMD, GMA News