As most of University of Santo Tomas’ core from its UAAP Season 87 Boys’ Basketball championship run moved up to the senior ranks, head coach Manu Inigo placed significant pressure and responsibility on key holdovers and co-captains Wacky Ludovice and Kirk Canete.
With Koji Buenaflor, Charles Bucsit, Carl Manding, and Racine Kane all moving on, Inigo is counting on Ludovice and Canete — both in their final year of eligibility — to spearhead and lead the Tiger Cubs’ title defense against highly competitive rivals in the UAAP Season 88 Boys’ Basketball Tournament.
The transition, however, has been anything but seamless, as UST began Season 88 on the wrong foot. The Tiger Cubs narrowly fell to the Far Eastern University-Diliman Baby Tamaraws in their opener before succumbing to the University of the East Junior Warriors in overtime.
For the champion head coach across the UAAP and NCAA, the losses highlighted the growing pains of Ludovice and Canete, both still learning to find the right balance between leadership, maturity, and poise.
“Kinausap ko sila. Sabi ko nga na doon sa dalawang talo namin, silang dalawa yung pinopoint out ko talaga na hindi dapat nangyari ‘yon kung yung maturity nila or yung composure nila nandoon,” Inigo said.
“Sabi ko nga, kailangan matutunan nila yan kahit bata pa lang sila para pagdating nila sa college level, kaya na nila ma-handle yung ganitong klase ng pressure.”
Rather than dwell on the setbacks, the dynamic guard duo from San Beda University-Rizal saw the early stumbles as a reminder that captaincy is more than a title. Instead, it demands composure and the ability to serve as a steady presence for a UST team that lost three key recruits to academic deficiencies.
That growth began to show when the Tiger Cubs finally broke through in the win column with a morale-boosting 79-70 victory over the Adamson University Baby Falcons yesterday, January 18, at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
For Canete, shying away from the daunting task of leading UST’s title defense was never an option. All the more so with the unwavering trust placed in him by Inigo and a championship-caliber coaching staff in Andy and Noli Mejos, Kris Demata, and JM Lagumen.
That confidence has fueled his self-assurance, further motivating him to embrace the responsibility of leading the Tiger Cubs against perennial contenders such as the Baby Tamaraws, the NUNS Bullpups, the Ateneo Blue Eagles, and the Junior Warriors.
“Before pa mag-start yung season, sinabi nga nila Coach Manu sa akin na sobrang may pressure raw talaga. Pero kaya nga nila ako linagay dito kasi nakita nila na kaya ko.
“Nakita ko rin na mataas yung kumpiyansa nila sa akin, kaya paano pa kaya ako hindi ba? Mataas na yung kumpiyansa sa akin ng mga coaches ko, kaya mas tumaas pa yung kumpiyansa ko sa sarili ko,” the 19-year-old guard from Malaybalay City, Bukidnon shared.
Echoing Canete’s mindset, Ludovice has also embraced the added responsibility of being one of UST’s leaders — a type of leader who must put the team above personal statistics or accolades.
For the Gilas Youth guard, the real challenge lies in balancing his natural scoring instincts with a stronger commitment to leadership, defense, and playmaking, aiming to elevate the performance of all players within the Tiger Cubs’ system.
“Sabi nga nila coach sa akin, kahit mag-score ako ng 20 or 30 points, kahit ano pa yan… ‘Eh kung hindi naman kami mananalo at hindi ako dedepensa at hindi ko tulungan yung teammates ko, parang magiging balewala lang kasi matatalo kami,” Ludovice said.
“Sa ngayon talaga, inisip ko lang na mag-score pa rin, pero mas i-involve yung teammates ko.”
