Daryl Valdeavilla has been carrying the scoring load for University of the Philippines Integrated School.
In the first round, the 16-year-old guard averaged 26.14 points, 5.71 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 3.0 steals per game.
However, it resulted in zero wins.
The struggles continued early in the second round.
An injury limited Valdeavilla against Ateneo High and FEU-Diliman to open the round.
But being the captain of the Fighting Maroons, Valdeavilla willed himself to get back on the court.
“Si Daryl, injured din yan at nagdadalawang isip kami na laruin siya but credit to his leadership and heart,” said UPIS head coach Paolo Mendoza.
Against UE last Sunday, Valdeavilla was back to his old form.
He fired 26 points, leading UPIS to a stunning 80-71 come-from-behind win over UE.
It broke the Maroons’ 22-game losing streak.
Valdeavilla deflected all the credit to his teammates for stepping up despite being down by as much as 19 points in the contest.
“Siyempre masaya pero hindi lang ako gumawa, tumulong sa akin ang teammates ko at coaches. Sobrang saya talaga,” last season’s Rookie of the Year expressed.
Also stepping up were Jaime Gomez de Liano (14 points, 10 rebounds), Rocco Melicor (14 points), Nathan Egea (13 points, 10 rebounds), and Bruce Tubongbanua (10 points, eight rebounds).
From being at the backend of Mendoza’s shallow bench a season ago, Valdeavilla has embraced being the skipper of the team.
And with their Final Four hopes closing, UPIS is going all out in developing Valdeavilla and his crew even more to close out their campaign.
“Growth and learning, especially with Daryl. Sobra yung growth niya,” Mendoza remarked about his Grade 11 stud.
“From his second year na seventh man siya, ngayon main man siya. Yan yung hinahanap talaga namin this year.”
