Does Caracut think he can be like Cruz under Aldin Ayo?

MANILA, Philippines – While the De La Salle University Green Archers are giving the keys to their future in the hands of new head coach Aldin Ayo, the team will also be leaning on recently-crowned UAAP Rookie of the Year Andrei Caracut to be one of the team’s main threats on the basketball court.

In his freshman 2015 campaign, the San Beda high school product averaged 9.2 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists a game, while garnering 31.67 statistical points despite dealing with an undisclosed sickness that kept him out for two games mid-season.

By winning the award, Caracut joins an exclusive list of Green Archers who have accomplished the same feat, such as Jeron Teng, JVee Casio, Mac Cardona, Ren-ren Ritualo, and Mark Telan.

“Mga idolo ko sila noon pa, so ganito pala yung feeling manalo ng Rookie of the Year,” Caracut told Rappler after getting his trophy during the UAAP awarding ceremony on Saturday, November 28.

(They were my idols since before, so this is what it’s actually like to win Rookie of the Year.)

“Hindi ko talaga ine-expect, kasi yung second round, medyo nawawala ako kasi galing sa sakit. Two games ako nawala, so hindi ko talaga ine-expect yung Rookie of the Year.

(I really wasn’t expecting it, because during the second round, I was out due to sickness. I was out for two games, so I really didn’t expect to win Rookie of the Year.)

“Grateful ako na nakuha ko to.” (I’m grateful that I got it.)

Caracut, who lost 12 pounds due to the sickness, is expected to only get better moving forward. After playing in former La Salle head coach Juno Sauler’s half-court offensive scheme this year, the former youth national team member could thrive even more in the faster pace implemented by Ayo.

La Salle has yet to release a statement naming Ayo as its new head coach, but the 38-year-old recently announced that he is moving to DLSU.

“Bagong coach na ba? Wala, wala pa akong alam, pero nababalitaan ko si Coach Aldin,” said Caracut. (Is there a new coach already? I’m not sure, but I did hear it’s Coach Aldin.)

“Kung si Coach Aldin man yun, I’m looking forward to that, and excited ako na maging coach din siya, kung siya, kasi alam naman natin kung ano nagawa niya sa Letran this season.”

(If it’s Coach Aldin, I’m looking forward to that, and I’m excited for him to be my coach because we all know what he did with Letran.)

Ayo, a Letran alumnus who helped lead the Knights to a title as a player in 1998, mentored his alma mater’s basketball squad to a championship as a rookie coach in 2015 as they beat the 6-peat seeking San Beda Red Lions in the finals.

“Siguro maga-adjust na lang rin ako,” Caracut said about potentially being under the new head coach. “Puwede naman ako kahit saan. Adjust lang.”

(I guess I’ll just have to adjust. I can play in any scheme. I just have to adjust.)

One player who thrived under Ayo was Letran’s Mark Cruz, who despite being undersized at 5’5 was one of the best players in the NCAA this past season. The 23-year-old even won the 3-point contest, and averaged 17.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists a game in the finals.

At 5’10, Caracut doesn’t have the same height disadvantage Cruz dealt with regularly, but will still have issues seeing over many long and tall defenders in the UAAP.

Does Caracut think he can have the same impact for La Salle as Cruz did for Letran under Ayo?

“Kasi, si Mark Cruz magaling naman talaga yun eh,” he said. “Pero nasa akin na kung paano ko gagawin yun.” (Mark Cruz is really good. It’s up to me how I’d be like that.)

“Si Mark Cruz talaga, puso talaga eh. Napakaliit lang niya, pero yung puso niya napakalaki, so siguro kaya doon nalalabas niya yung laro niya,” Caracut said.

(With Mark Cruz, it’s all about heart. He’s very small, but his heart is huge, so I guess that’s how he shows how good he is.) – Rappler.com