University of Santo Tomas rookie Amiel Acido found a sense of comfort at the Filoil EcoOil Centre, a familiar venue where he had experienced significant moments in his budding basketball career.
During his time with University of Perpetual Help System, Acido helped secure the Junior Altas’ first-ever NCAA Season 99 Finals appearance in the juniors basketball tournament.
Their journey included a crucial Final Four victory over Mapúa, followed by an unforgettable comeback in the Finals, where the Junior Altas erased a 19-point deficit to force a winner-take-all Game 3 and ultimately win their first-ever basketball title in the Grand Old League.
In the same season, Acido made history as the first Perpetual juniors’ player to win the prestigious Most Valuable Player award. After being crowned MVP, Acido’s resilience was key in the Junior Altas’ triumph.
Now, as a rookie for UST in the UAAP, Acido was entering a new chapter in his basketball journey.
However, his past experience at the Filoil EcoOil Centre seemed to carry over when UST faced Adamson University in the San Juan venue on Saturday.
Acido delivered his best performance as a Growling Tiger, scoring a career-high 14 points, including an impressive 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc. His contributions helped UST return to the postseason for the first time since Season 82 in 2019.
“Actually, meron. Namiss ko talaga maglaro sa court na ‘to. Iba pa rin ‘yung feeling ko kapag naglalaro ako dito, parang feel at home talaga. Pag naglalaro ako dito, ang taas ng kumpiyansa ko. Parang ang fresh ko maglaro. Thankful ako kay God kasi binigyan niya ako ng pagkakataon na ipakita yung laro ko,” the Antipolo, Rizal native shared.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Despite the familiarity with the Filoil EcoOil Center, Acido acknowledged the support and guidance he had received from UST’s physical therapists, coaches, support staff, and veteran players. He especially credited the leadership of point guard Forthsky Padrigao and veteran Nic Cabanero, who played pivotal roles in his development.
Acido explained, “Ang ginawa nila sa akin, dapat mentally prepared daw ako, hindi lang physically. Binibigyan nila ako ng advice kung paano ko gagawin yung game plans namin sa loob, paano ako mag-a-adjust kapag napunta ako sa ganitong situation. Malaking tulong talaga sila sa akin kasi hindi ko talaga malalabas itong laro ko kung hindi dahil sa kanila.”
After his breakout game, Acido remains determined not to become complacent as UST prepares for the Final Four. As the third-seeded team heading into the postseason, UST will face the twice-to-beat University of the Philippines, led by players such as JD Cagulangan, Francis Lopez, Quentin Millora-Brown, and Harold Alarcon.
“Para sa akin, I still have a lot to work on kasi hindi ako pwede makontento sa ganitong laro. Ineexpect ko na is-stop na ako ng ibang players, so mas mahihirapan na ako. Marami na akong kailangan i-adjust. I’ll just keep on working. Balik kami sa gym, magpe-prepare kami, gagawa kami ng game plan,” Acido said, vowing to continue improving as UST looks to make a deep run in the postseason.
