Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
For Will Gozum, University of the Philippines will always be his home.
And a week after making his college commitment, the NCAA Season 93 Juniors MVP has experienced nothing but love in his homecoming to Diliman.
“It warms the heart that they accepted me again,” he said in Filipino after spending the better part of the last two years with the Mapua Red Robins.
Gozum reunites with former UPIS teammates Javi and Juan Gomez de Liaño as they all seek to complete an unfinished business they built from their days in UPIS.
READ: NCAA jrs MVP Will Gozum commits to UP
“Since high school, we’ve always talked about being champions together in college. That was always part of our plan,” the 18-year-old said, baring how big of a factor the Gomez de Liaño brothers had in his decision to join the Fighting Maroons.
“Even when I was in Mapua, they were still watching me. Regardless if I had a good game or not, they always motivate me. They really were the reason why I returned to UP.”
Gozum’s arrival further boosts the Fighting Maroons’ aspirations of finally making it to the Final Four for the first time since 1997.
READ: Perasol not putting too much pressure on prized recruit Gozum
But the 6-foot-6 slotman who is part of Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes’ “23-for-23” cadet list is tempering everyone’s expectations but vowed to follow coach Bo Perasol’s orders and work as hard as he can.
“We’ll just do our roles. I’ll adjust with the help of our coaches and I know that I should improve my game everyday,” he said.
“We all eye to make it to the Final Four before we get to what we all want: the championship.”