Joaquin Tovera showed no jitters in his UAAP debut, leading De La Salle University to an 89-87 victory over National University on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The 18-year-old guard immediately made his presence felt, scoring 22 points to lead the Green Archers in their Season 89 opener despite playing in his first major UAAP game.
Tovera transferred to La Salle from University of the Philippines during the offseason after gaining attention following a high-profile preseason game between the two rivals.
Despite facing more experienced NU guards such as Reinhard Jumamoy, Tebol Garcia, and Paul Garcia, Tovera remained composed throughout the game and delivered when La Salle needed him.
For the rookie, however, his strong debut is something he would rather take in stride.
“It was amazing,” said Tovera. “Great experience. Never had a big crowd before but, you know, I have to stay humble and just be ready for my next game.
“Every game’s not gonna be the best game for me and I’m just doing my best every time I get my chance on the court.”
Before joining La Salle, Tovera made his mark in Philippine basketball with the Gilas Pilipinas Boys team that captured the country’s seventh consecutive SEABA U18 title in Thailand last June.
Tovera averaged 16.4 points per game and was named tournament MVP as the Philippines swept the competition to secure a spot in the FIBA U18 Asia Cup in India the following month.
His performances with the youth national team also drew interest from several UAAP schools. While he was initially with UP, family and familiarity ultimately played a major role in his decision to transfer to La Salle.
“I started off with Gilas,” he explained. “At first I was a little nervous representing the country but I picked it up with Coach Juno (Sauler). From there, I got my name out. Teams wanted me a little more.
“I was with UP, but every day I was just thinking I wanted to be with Mikey and Jacob since I knew them already. That’s when I hit the transfer.”
Tovera, however, did not suit up for the Philippines in the FIBA U18 Asia Cup.
Without him, Sauler’s squad advanced to the quarterfinals before suffering a 103–117 loss to China. The Philippines eventually finished eighth after a 75–80 defeat to Japan.
Tovera explained that his absence came from a decision made to ensure his eligibility for La Salle this season, as he needed to secure his documents from California before a school deadline.
“I wasn’t able to play because the real truth was that I had to get my documents from California. There was like a deadline from my school,” he said.
“If I went to pick up my documents, I would be able to play for this season because of the cutoff. But if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to play this season if I played with Gilas.”
Now focused on his first UAAP season with La Salle, Tovera knows there is still plenty of adjustment ahead as he settles into a new team and environment. At the same time, he remains open to another opportunity to represent the country should the call come.
For now, though, Tovera is keeping his focus on La Salle and continuing to put in the work.
“I’ll be ready if I get my name called for opportunities. I’ll just be ready.”
