From one Altas star to another: Arboleda feels Thompson’s pain

Scottie Thompson remains on the bench while the rest of the Altas sing the school him following their NCAA exit. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Scottie Thompson was undoubtedly a picture of defeat as Letran celebrated a return to the NCAA Final Four while his University of Perpetual Help had its streak of reaching the semifinals snapped.

Thompson, the Altas’ proud MVP, had his hands on his head and stayed hidden beneath a towel while the rest of his teammates sang the school hymn for the last time this season.

READ: Letran ousts Perpetual, gains twice-to-beat edge in Final Four

For all his brilliance, Thompson watched his final collegiate season, a year a championship was promised but never realized, crumble in the face of adversity.

And from one Altas star to another, Harold Arboleda knows how painful it was for his good friend and former teammate to fall short.

“Of course, it’s painful to see how it happened,” Arboleda, the former Altas star who now plays for NLEX in the PBA, told INQUIRER.net on Saturday in Filipino. “It’s not even a close game and it was an ugly loss. I think the team felt really pressured to win the game and it also didn’t help that shots weren’t falling for them.”

“I felt really bad for Scottie. The camera focused on him and he was crying,” said Arboleda while shaking his head. “I texted him right away and I told him to keep his head up.”

A crying Scottie Thompson stays hidden underneath a towel after a painful loss. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

In Arboleda’s final season, the Altas made it through a tough Final Four race before getting booted out by eventual champion San Beda.

Thompson had been a one-man wrecking crew for the Altas, posting triple-double after triple-double. But in the game where his team’s season was on the line, Thompson went on to have one of his worst games.

READ: NCAA: Thompson scores another triple-double as Perpetual rips EAC

Arboleda, though, feels Thompson has nothing to be ashamed of. After all, he’s the reason why the Altas came just a win short of what could’ve been a fourth straight semis stint.

“He posted a status on his FB that he’s an embarrassment but I felt like he shouldn’t have said such because everyone saw that he did his best and when you do your best, you don’t have to feel ashamed of yourself,” Arboleda said.

“I also told him that his career doesn’t end there and there are still a lot of good things ahead of his career and his life in general.”

READ: Cone says Ginebra pick Thompson could be next Caguioa, Helterbrand

Sent to an early exit, Thompson is expected to report right away to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, which selected him fifth overall in the PBA Rookie Draft last August.

“I really feel like he can translate his game in college to the PBA,” Arboleda said.

“I’m really excited to play against him and I’m proud that he went to Ginebra.”