CJ Cansino convinced skidding UST has yet to play its best

MANILA, Philippines – Super rookie CJ Cansino is perplexed at how the Growling Tigers have yet to show their performance during practice at the actual UAAP games as UST slumped to its third loss in 4 games. 

“‘Di ko alam bakit ‘di pa lumalabas ‘yung talagang kami – ‘yung paano kami mag-practice, paano kami maglaro nung off-season,” wondered the 18-year old swingman. “‘Di ko pa nakikita ‘yung 100% na kung paano maglaro ‘yung UST.”

(I don’t know why our  we haven’t played the way we really are – how we do it in practice or how we played in the off-season. I still haven’t seen UST playing 100%.)

UST crashed to its worst defeat in Season 81 when it received a 32-point beating from the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Saturday, September 29.

The lopsided loss was already a hard pill to swallow for Cansino, but it stung even more given his history with the mighty Ateneo program. 

“Ang bigat sa loob, lalo na ngayon kasi gustung-gusto ko talagang matalo ‘yung Ateneo,” Cansino revealed. “Sa ilang years kong naglalaro ng UAAP, kahit noong juniors, ‘di ko pa [sila] natatalo so gustung-gusto ko talaga.”

(It’s really disappointing, especially now since I really want to beat Ateneo. In all my years playing in the UAAP, even in the juniors division, I never defeated them so I really wanted this one.)

Indeed, the one-man high school show of Cansino really found trouble edging out the loaded Blue Eaglets program, which boasted a multitude of surefire talents in Kai Sotto, Dave and Shaun Ildefonso, SJ Belangel, Joaqui Manuel, Jolo Mendoza, and Gian Mamuyac.

But more than a personal vendetta against the blue and white, Cansino just wants to lift UST from the bottom of the barrel, where the once-mighty program has languished in recent years.

“Ayoko lang talaga magaya last year [na 1-13 record]. Gusto ko makapasok kami ng Final Four, so gagawin ko talaga lahat nang makakaya ko para makatulong sa team at sa UST,” he said.

(I just don’t want a repeat of last year’s 1-13 record. I want us to get into the Final Four, so I’ll do everything in my power to help the team and the school.)

Cansino doesn’t even care that he has at least 4 more years to help the Tigers return to contending form. He wants to win now, which can only bode well for him and the team in the long run. – Rappler.com