In his four year stay with the Far Eastern University Tamaraws as head coach, Nash Racela has been part of a handful of spectacular moments that will forever be remembered in UAAP Men’s’ Basketball history — two of which came from Mac Belo.
Who could ever forget Mac Belo’s buzzer-beating triple back in 2014?
Or his encore a year later against Kiefer Ravena and the Ateneo Blue Eagles?
In both of those games, the Tamaraws had to claw their way back, digging deep in the toughest of times. During that time, Belo was dubbed as the “Heartbreak Kid.” These moment though also showed he and his team’s will to overcome any adversity.
Saturday afternoon, the Tamaraws were once again in the same predicament, facing elimination against the second-seeded Ateneo Blue Eagles.
“I remember during the quarter break, I was telling the players not to break down. I think it was really hard during the third quarter,” Racela recalled when they were down 42-35 entering the final frame.
“We’re trying our best, halos bumigay na kami.”
And in moments like this, only the bravest show up. With Mac Belo moving on to the pros and sitting on the stands, it was Raymar Jose’s turn.
The King Tamaraw did not cave in, playing the entire final frame. During that frame, he gobbled up rebounds, boxing out two to three Ateneans at a time. He was tumbling on the floor but quickly got up to chase down the Blue Eagles or to set-up a hard screen for a teammate. The 6-foot-6 big man even chipped in seven points in a 13-6 rally that tied the game with 1:53 left.
Fellow Tamaraws Monbert Arong and Prince Orizu followed suit, eventually leading the Tams to a 62-61 win to extend their season to at least one more game.
Jose finished the game with a monster double-double 20 points and a career-high 23 rebounds. In the fourth quarter alone, he outrebounded the Blue Eagles, 11 to 8. It was a performance for the ages that even awed his mentor.
“It think it’s in the same level as the Belo buzzer-beaters,” Racela remarked.
For the one-time UAAP champion head coach, performances like Belo’s or Jose’s is a testament to what he has been preaching for four years: to never give-up until the final buzzer has sounded.
“How he lifted the team was the best representation of the FEU Basketball program where giving up is never an option.”
But even after the final buzzer had sounded, the work is not yet done for the Tamaraws. FEU’s skipper knew it, huddling his teammates to their side of the court — he showed no emotion just like Belo when he hit those buzzer-beaters. And in unison they all raised their index finger.
“ONE MORE WIN,” they said.
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