Ed Daquioag. PHOTO BY TRISTAN TAMAYO/INQUIRER.net
If there are any surprises in the UAAP this early in the season, one of them has to be UST’s rise at the top of the standings.
And one of the reasons in that ascent should be Ed Daquioag, who has been a revelation for the Growling Tigers.
The 24-year-old has been averaging 24.3 points and 4.7 rebounds through three games, with his latest outburst coming at the expense of UP.
Daquioag lit up in the payoff period, scoring 17 in the final canto to tow UST to its third straight victory, a 67-59 conquest on Sunday.
But his coach Bong dela Cruz isn’t surprised with the Ilocos Norte native’s performance this year.
“Last year pa lang, si Ed ang alam kong magdadala ng team together with Kevin (Ferrer). Nagka-injury lang siya last year, pero ngayon ready na siya,” he said.
(Even last year, I knew that Ed will be one of those guys who will lead the team together with Kevin. It just happened that he got injured, but he’s ready now.)
After playing through a microfracture injury on his left ankle last season, Daquioag is just making the most of the opportunities in his final year, more so that the Growling Tigers will be heavily depending on their veterans.
“Mataas na yung kumpiyansa ko kasi alam kong isa ako sa leaders ng team naming, kaya kailangan ko mag-set ng good example sa teammates ko,” he said.
(I have a lot of confidence because I know that I’m one of the leaders of the team, so I have to set a good example to my teammates.)
PHOTO BY TRISTAN TAMAYO/INQUIRER.net
It also helps that Daquioag has admirably filled the roles he has been put to, which saw him shift from a simple defensive stopper to UST’s main man on offense this year.
“Andyan si Jeric Fortuna, Jeric Teng, at Aljon Mariano, kaya may kanya-kanyang role dati. Role ko dati defensive stopper,” he said. “Ngayon, wala ng ibang beterano sa amin nila Kevin at Karim (Abdul) kaya ginrab ko na yung opportunity na binigay ni coach sa akin.”
(Jeric Fortuna, Jeric Teng, and Aljon Mariano were here before, so everyone had their own roles. Mine was to be a defensive stopper. Now, there are no other veterans other than me, Kevin, and Karim, that’s why I grabbed the opportunity that coach has given me.)
And just like before, he has been passing with flying colors, enough to garner him “MVP” chants at the conclusion of the UP game.
But Daquioag is shrugging off the praise, as he said, “Maaga pa. (It’s still too early.)”
“Ed is just enjoying the game,” said dela Cruz, noting that his starting guard is just making the most to help the Growling Tigers rise at the top of the standings at 3-0.
“Iba yung nakakauna ka. Magandang start ito para sa amin. (It’s always good to be at the top early. It’s a good start for us.)” JE