There’s something special in Aljun Melecio and the De La Salle Zobel team

Naveen Ganglani

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There’s something special in Aljun Melecio and the De La Salle Zobel team
The Junior Archers are more than just the Aljun Melecio show

MANILA, Philippines – When Aljun Melecio picked up his fourth foul with 3:06 left in the third quarter of the UAAP Junior’s Final Four between Ateneo High School and De La Salle Zobel’s this past Monday, February 15, it’s like that some Blue Eaglets fans heaved an audible sigh of relief.

After all, this was Aljun Jay Melecio, arguably the biggest name in high school hoops right now. For those who forgot: he was just honored as MVP of the UAAP junior’s tournament after averaging 22.7 points and 7.1 rebounds a game in the elimination round. Oh, and Ateneo High School was fully aware of what he’s capable of. That 42-point explosion of his against them in the eliminations was probably still fresh on their minds.

So when Melecio checked out of the game, and Zobel’s lead stood only at 10, was there some optimism from the bluer side of the San Juan Arena? Sure.

Only here’s the thing: the Zobel Junior Archers are not an Aljun Melecio show. They’re not Melecio or bust. They haven’t been all season long, despite what the numbers or article headlines tell you.

Hindi ko naman talaga team to,” Melecio said inside the press room of the San Juan Arena, after Zobel trumped Ateneo 75-68 to advance to the finals for the first time in 6 years.

(This really isn’t my team.)

Lahat kami nag tra-trabaho. Buti nalang nag step up lahat nang teammates ko today.”

(We all work. It’s a good thing my teammates stepped up today.)

Step up is what they did. Brent Paraiso scored 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Miguel Fortuna, the brother of former UST player Jeric, finished with 12 points and 5 assists. MR Romero had 11 points and 8 boards.

Melecio? He finished with 14 points on 11 shots plus 6 rebounds and 4 dimes. It was no 42-point outburst, but when the rest of the team was playing so well, who needed that?

And because of that team effort, down went Ateneo, failing to defend its title and losing to Zobel thrice this UAAP season. While the watching students in blue and kakhi sulked on one side, it was boisterous noise on the other shaded by green and white.

“Ever since this season started, everyone thought this is an Aljun’s team,” said a relieved Boris Aldeguer after coaching Zobel to the win.

“That was the reputation we got, and it worked for us, because our opponents thought that stopping Aljun would stop Zobel… even Aljun said, ‘No, this is not my team. I’m here because of you guys.’ Aljun trusted them. They trusted Aljun. We trusted each other.”

Truth be told, it feels like something special has taken place in these Junior Archers that’s allowed them to get this far. What they lack in size, they make up with heart, or so the coach believes. Are they the most talented or skilled team in the league? Unlikely. Though who needs that when they have the most important necessity in basketball: trust.

“These guys, despite our disadvantages, we’re loaded with a lot of heart, I think. That’s basically what you can say about Zobel now,” insists Aldeguer. 

That selflessness and willingness to sacrifice of the individual for the school starts with the leaders. Jaime Cabarrus might not fill up the stat sheet for La Salle, but his vocal leadership inspires and motivates the fight out of his teammates.

Melecio? He leads by example. He won’t give 5-minute speeches before each game to increase the adrenaline of his comrades. He doesn’t even need to. That’s what Cabarrus, his co-captain, is for. But on the court, how he plays every basketball possession like its his last, is what makes him someone his teammates look up to.

That, more than his statistics and Kobe Bryant-like moves to get open for jump shots, is what makes him MVP.

“Aljun could have said, ‘No, no. I want all the glory to me,’” explained Aldeguer. 

“He could have played like that, and that could have been a disaster, especially in a team undersized and all the disadvantages. It could have been a disaster. That’s why he’s the MVP. He’s the MVP because, aside from his scoring and stuff like that, it’s his leadership. He leads by example.

“Cabarrus is more of the voice. Aljun is quiet, but it’s his actions that does his talking. When they see him start working in practice, running up and down, playing defense. I mean if a superstar, if an MVP, can do that, [it’s like], ‘Who am I not to follow his footstep?’ So he leads by example. That’s his way of being the leader of this team.”

Melecio eventually fouled out with 2:14 left in the fourth quarter on what was a 50-50 call. Zobel was ahead only by 4, 67-63. Danger? It felt that way. Suddenly, there was hope on Ateneo’s side. Someway, somehow, the Blue Eaglets were still in the game despite trailing by double digits for most of the second half, victory within grasp, a chance to stay alive for another game on the line.

Only that didn’t turn out to be the case, because it turns out the other Archers were pretty accurate with their arrows as well. With 1:02 left, Cabarrus made a long jumper to extend his team’s lead to 6. Later on, he and Paraiso made clutch free throws. On the other end, they blitzed Ateneo on defense – with some help from unfortunate misses at the rim by Jolo Mendoza. The San Juan Arena turned rampant. Zobel was going to get the chance to win their first UAAP title in nearly a decade.

“In spite Aljun was sitting on the bench most of the time, and he eventually fouled out, we still got the win. It just shows this is not an Aljun’s team. We have other guys willing to play and step up big time,” said Aldeguer.

And that’s what they did. There’s no doubt Melecio will be special. “This year, he’s cementing his legacy in Zobel,” Aldeguer said about his star. 

Thrice during the Ateneo game, Melecio hit 3-pointers no high school player should be able to make. Each time, he used jab steps and head fakes like a pro to get his defender off-balanced. And once the defender was fooled, the former Jr. NBA trainee leaped in an instant, using a near-perfect form to get those 3-pointers to hit nothing but net.

He has the speed to blow by any opposition. He has a high vertical that negates his 5-foot-7 height. And there’s something about the kid that makes you think he has the quality to be a star in college. Let’s call it the “it factor.”

“With the system that Aldin Ayo showed during his Letran stint, I think Aljun will perfectly fit,” Aldeguer said about the future Green Archer.

“Aljun is undersized, we know that, but he’s very capable of making big shots, and it reminds me of his player before, Mark Cruz. I think he’ll fit right in the system. In his first year, you’ll see him explode already. He’ll start making a name for himself in college.”

But there will be enough time to think about college later on. La Salle has the undefeated, 14-0 NU Bullpups up next on Friday in a finals Aldeguer describes as a “David and Golliath situation.” National U is big. They’re confident. They’re talented. They have all the makings of a champion.

But here comes the undersized kids from Zobel who won’t go down without a fight. Here come Melecio and company, looking to end their high school stints with a bang.

Yung MVP award ko, hindi ko naman iniisip yun. Gusto ko talaga mag champion para masaya lahat nang team,” said Melecio.

(I don’t think about my MVP award. I just want to become a champion so that the entire team is happy.)

Can they beat NU?

“[With] the heart we displayed today, who knows?” is how Aldeguer views it.

There’s something special in this Zobel team. There’s something special in their MVP. There’s something special in their trust in each other. There’s a special ending to the story being written about them.

Will it end the way they want? It’s tough to say. 

But it will be fun to watch them try. – Rappler.com

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