Nonoy makes up for errors with one big shot after another to bail out UST

ANTIPOLO—University of Santo Tomas point guard Mark Nonoy kept losing the ball, but never did he lose his coach’s faith.

Nonoy committed eight turnovers against Adamson in the UAAP Season 82 men’s basketball tournament Saturday night, but there was not a point in the crucial game when his head coach Aldin Ayo thought about benching him.

“I put Mark on a very crucial situation because knowing him, I know that he was cocky enough to make those shots, take those shots, because I know that he’s unconscious,” Ayo told reporters after UST secured at least a playoff for a Final Four spot following an 80-74 win over Adamson.

“Knowing him, he’s just going to play basketball without realizing the magnitude of the situation. He’s going to commit turnovers but he’s one of my players who are unafraid of the moment. He just doesn’t care. He’s just going to play basketball.”

Nonoy did not let Ayo down with a team-best 17 points, highlighted by four timely triples including the go-ahead, 70-67, that ended his team’s five-minute drought with 4:18 remaining.

He also had eight rebounds and five assists in a little over 26 minutes of play.

“I get my confidence from the mistakes I made because those mistakes make me better. I’m thankful for my coaches who keep giving me advice and are teaching me to correct my mistakes to help me improve as a player,” Nonoy said in Filipino.