Watching all 5-foot-7 inches of Aljun Melecio take over a game with players a full foot taller than him will always be a sight to be hold.
The diminutive point guard showed out in the De La Salle University Green Archers’ breakthrough win of the season. Melecio drew contact on several plays, draining free throws that sank the National University Bulldogs.
Melecio finished with a game-high 19 points off 6-for-17 shooting.
A year removed from making the Finals, the Green Archers are retooling and are looking to Melecio to deliver points.
“For me, ‘yung positive side dito is nag-stick kami as a team lalo na ‘yung sa crucial ends nung game.
“Noong sa summer leagues, for example, kapag crucial, umaalis kami sa system. Kinakanya-kanya namin. This time naman, nag-stick kami sa system,” said the third-year guard.
Melecio insists that their maturity needs to come from him since he is now one of La Salle’s leaders.
“I have to be mature. I have to set up my teammates. Sabi naman ni coach na ‘wag kong tanggalin kung ano ‘yung meron ako. Sabi nila na I have to be more patient and mature,” he pointed out.
“Siyempre mahirap. Pero nandiyan naman ‘yung coaches ko to guide me. Noong summer talaga nahihirapan pa ako, pero naa-adapt ko na ngayon.”
