UAAP: Terrence Fortea opens strong for UP to earn Player of Week honors

UP Fighting Maroon’s Terrance Fortea.
Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Terrence Fortea has stepped up big time for defending champion University of the Philippines in the absence of starting point guard JD Cagulangan.

The 21-year-old guard emerged as one of the Fighting Maroons’ stabilizers to keep his squad as the lone unbeaten team after three games in the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament.

The 6-foot-1 guard, showing he still wields the same arsenal from his time with Batang Gilas and the NU Bullpups, made the most out of his opportunity and stepped up big-time with averages of 14.7 points, 5.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and crisp 10-of-20 shooting from beyond the arc in three games.

On the strength of his breakout, Fortea emerged as the first Collegiate Press Corps UAAP Player of the Week

“I really have to step up for our team. That’s my mindset since our situation (of not having JD on our side),” said Fortea in Filipino.

Fortea kickstarted his week with a previous career-best of 15 points, nine assists, and five boards as UP escaped La Salle with a 72-69 win before uncorking 12 points, five dimes, and three boards in their 87-78 overtime win against Adamson.

There was no stopping him from there as he reset his career-high to 17 markers on a perfect 5-of-5 clip from downtown to tow UP to an unbeaten start after a 73-67 win over FEU – wrapping up the nod awarded by print and online writers regularly covering the league.

UP coach Goldwin Monteverde, also once the architect of the Bullpups’ dynasty in high school, lauded the meteoric rise of his prized guard with the hopes of forming a new and more lethal backcourt combo.

“Last season was a big adjustment for him for that position. But this season, I think unti-unti, habang wala si (JD), nabibigyan siya ng time at nag-iimprove siya. Hopefully, pagbalik ni (JD), at least, puwede silang magsabay,” he said.

Fortea edged out longtime teammate Carl Tamayo, La Salle’s Schonny Winston, Ateneo’s Ange Kouame, UE’s Kyle Paranada, and UST’s Nic Cabañero for the weekly award presented by the Philippine Sports Commission for Season 85.