UP rising star Zavier Lucero lets adjustments come naturally amid breakout

MANILA, Philippines – After a healthy helping of preseason hype, Zavier Lucero’s UAAP debut with UP went ahead without fanfare as he finished with just 2 points in a loss to mighty Ateneo.

That seems like a distant memory now as the Maroons have won five straight since that opening-day defeat, and Lucero is already looking every bit of the high-potential athlete he was touted to be.

In UP’s nail-biting win against La Salle, the 22-year-old forward exploded for a huge 21-point, 14-rebound double-double with 9 offensive boards – a performance highlighted by a fourth-quarter poster dunk over early MVP candidate Justine Baltazar.

Despite having a fast-rising string of productive games leading up to his Thursday breakout, Lucero is keeping a level-headed perspective as the games roll along.

“It’s still an adjustment every time we step out because I haven’t played here yet, but as long as we’re getting wins, and I can help my team in the ways that I can, the rest will come,” he said after the game.

“I just try to control what I can control, and fight through the growing pains we have as a team. I thought we had a really good job tonight.”

The 6-foot-7 leaper even kept a nonchalant tone on his incredible dunk over Baltazar, one of the most well-rounded, and pro-ready players in the country.

“To be honest, I don’t know how we got the ball,” he recalled. “Maymay (Cagulangan) had it, and we had numbers. Carl (Tamayo) was sprinting down as well, so he kind of forced Balty to see him.”

“I was able to come in late, and Maymay found me with a great pass, and then the rest was just two points.”

In a team loaded with household names like Tamayo, CJ Cansino, and Ricci Rivero, Lucero is doing more than enough to seize a big share of the spotlight as the season moves forward.

But, of course, the Fil-Am standout likely doesn’t want to hear any of that individualistic talk before – and maybe even after – he has helped the Maroons snap their decades-long title drought. – Rappler.com