‘In his very core,’ UST’s Forthsky Padrigao is a point—not points—guard

UST guard Forthsky Padrigao in his debut game in UAAP Season 87.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—After two games in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, University of Santo Tomas’ Forthsky Padrigao answered most of the questions surrounding his transfer from Ateneo without using words.

One of the more evident questions that surfaced when Padrigao jumped ship to the Growling Tigers’ den after being given the boot by the Blue Eagles was what type of player he would be under returning UST coach Pido Jarencio.

“Points guard” was one of the names that stuck to Padrigao’s during his run with Ateneo, seeing how he was prioritizing his points more than setting his teammates up for baskets.

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 basketball

In fact, “points guard” wasn’t bred out of nowhere. As a scoring star for Ateneo, Padrigao was nearly crowned as the MVP of his controversial run in Season 85.

But that’s not the case now. At least, not in UST.

“I think I’ve matured more when I accepted what my role is. In my very core, I’m a point guard,” said a jolly Padrigao in an interview with Inquirer Sports after helping UST win against Ateneo in its most recent outing.

READ: With Padrigao leading way, UST Tigers seek return to mighty status

“It comes with being matured in the games and the UAAP scene and I’m happy that I can help my teammates and the team, in general.”

Padrigao has shown significant changes since donning the White and Gold jersey.

During the lanky guard’s stellar—albeit, controversial—run in Katipunan, Padrigao registered 11.0 points, 4.36 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.36 steals per game.

Those numbers were enough to give Padrigao a Mythical Five slot. Those same numbers were also instrumental in the Blue Eagles’ run to the league’s Season 85 championship.

READ: UAAP: Forthsky Padrigao hopes to help UST build winning culture

Now though, there’s quite the discrepancy in the 6-foot guard’s production; quite a significant change but a positive one.

Across two games, Padrigao averaged 5.5 points, 8.0 assists and 4.5 rebounds per game.

Two games is a small sample size but it’s his impact in the game that showed how different his play style is now for the Growling Tigers.

Nic Cabañero, UST’s resident shooter, has seen it with his very eyes.

READ: UAAP: Ateneo hymn brings back memories, but Padrigao focused on UST

“It’s easy for us to know our roles, we just need to go to our spots and Forthsky already knows where to pass the ball. He trusts us a lot and we like him as our pass-first point guard,” said Cabañero.

“He was a scoring guard in Ateneo but it’s different here, everyone can produce…  He’s getting very matured so I really want him as my teammate. He knows what he’s doing,” added the fourth-year shooter.

From one Pido guard to another

UST Growling Tigers’ coach Pido Jarencio during the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

In UST’s most recent win against Ateneo, 74-64, at Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, Padrigao scored just six points but dropped nine whopping assists to give everyone on the Yellow side some chances to score.

His unselfish play fueled the Growling Tigers to their first win over—yes, his former team—Ateneo in over nine years.

Padrigao’s performance on Wednesday mirrored some of UST’s guards in the past.

READ: UAAP: Forthsky Padrigao moves to UST Tigers after Ateneo exit

One possible reason why he played like an old-school Pido Jarencio guard was, well, one of them is currently in the Growling Tigers’ coaching staff.

“We’ve been talking in practice and our trips and I shared with him my experiences under coach Pido,” told UST assistant coach Jeric Fortuna to the Inquirer.

“With Forthsky, you see a level of maturity in him that I didn’t need to say much. He’s really a student of the game, he knows how to approach it so I’ve shared my experiences with him so he can, kind of, relate to what’s happened before.”

Maturity has been a key word in Padrigao’s acceptance of his role under Jarencio.

READ: Pido reboots UST comeback with roster that’s truly his

Probably because it’s a trait he saw while training with assistant coach Fortuna, who wasn’t the flashiest scorer himself during his heyday in UST.

“He watches film every time and every time coach Jeric sees something wrong, he immediately tells me. That’s a big help for me, in terms of really learning the game of basketball,” Jarencio said.

Amid the school’s best start in recent memory, all Padrigao hopes to do is rack up more wins for UST in its hopes of returning to theUAAP  Final Four.

And he has no problem giving way to his teammates in order to achieve that goal.

After all, that’s what a point guard is expected to do.

“I’m surrounded by scoring teammates and I just want to really maximize the talent and our potentials of our team. That’s what I’m trying to focus on and that’s also my job; to create for them and set them up for points.”