Despite his long tour of duty for Gilas Men, Carl Tamayo showed no signs of fatigue in his first game back with University of the Philippines.
Tamayo paced the reigning UAAP champions in their debut win in the 15th FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup, ending up with 16 points, 16 rebounds, and two assists in their 83-69 rout of Mapua University.
To say that the Cebu-born young buck was busy for the past few months was an understatement.
Fresh from the championship with the Fighting Maroons, Tamayo joined Gilas in training.
From there tournaments left and right happened, starting with the KB Kookmin Bank Invitational in Gyeonggi, South Korea.
The men’s national team then traveled to Auckland, New Zealand for the third window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers against the Tal Blacks and then played India on home soil in Pasay.
(C) FIBA.basketball
Almost less than a week after, they flew to Jakarta, Indonesia for the FIBA Asia Cup.
Tamayo even had an injury scare in that first game against New Zealand, but he was able to play against India and the games afterward.
It was taxing, but for the young big man, he just felt the need to keep going.
“Siyempre yung pagod ko, sa kin na lang ‘yun,” Tamayo admitted.
“Pero kasi na-miss ko yung UP family ko. Tagal kong nawala sa kanila.
“Kapag malapit sa yo yung family mo, siyempre hindi mo sila papabayaan ngayon pa na kulang kami,” he said, noting the absence of among others, fellow UAAP Season 84 Mythical Team member Zavier Lucero, who is still coming from the States, and Henry Galinato, who is currently in quarantine.
Tamayo, 21, also said that he is still young and to think of getting overworked is behind him, and, of course, nothing beats the excitement of playing for and with his brothers.
“Masaya ako ‘pag naglalaro ako sa UP kaya hindi ko iniisip yung pagod.”
Definitely, Tamayo is just glad to be back home.
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The entire 2022 Filoil Ecooil Preseason Cup will stream LIVE on Smart Sports Facebook page
