As the final buzzer sounded after the University of the East Red Warriors suffered their 13th loss of the season, Alvin Pasaol broke down in tears as he sang ‘Pamantasang Ka Naming Mahal’. Though he still has one year of eligibility remaining, the 23-year-old made it seem like it was the final time he would don UE’s red and white.
For the last three years, the burly 6-foot-3 forward has been the face of the Red Warriors. Even if he only accumulated seven wins in his three years in UE, the team was still a must-watch for the UE community and fans, alike.
Who could ever forget his 49-point explosion against Ben Mbala? Or his double-double games? Or even his eccentric celebrations?
But the native of Davao City is still unsure of whether to come back for his final year or turn pro.
“Baka yun. Pag-iisipan ko pa. Yung drafting, December pa naman. May one week pa para mag-isip then yun na siguro,” he shared after UE’s 71-79 loss to the National University Bulldogs.
If he has played his last game, however, it was one hell of a ride.
“Parang roller-coaster yung nangyari sa amin. Hindi naman namin expected yung nangyari sa amin. Happy lang ako na nakasama ko teammates ko. Wala naman pagsisisi kung eto man yung last game ko,” he expressed.
“Lumaban naman kami, nandun naman kami.”
If ever this was his last game, Pasaol will go down as one of the greatest scorers the league has ever seen. His Season 81 campaign saw him finish with a scoring average of 24.4 points per game – the highest norm for a local student-athlete since 2003.
Even though he could not deliver the wins, he hopes he has left a legacy.
“Siguro, naiwan ko sa UE yung lumalaban lang.
“Kahit matalo man kami, nandun pa rin yung puso ko, lumaban kami ng teammates ko. Baka last year ko na ito, nagpapasalamat ako sa kanila. Mataas yung expectation nila sa akin at binigay ko rin yung one-hundred percent na tiwala ko sa kanila,” he shared.
Pasaol has yet to make up his mind. But if the school’s owners call him up for one more tour of duty, he won’t hesitate to say yes.
“Siguro, pagkausapin ako ng may-ari! Pag sinabi ng may-ari sige!”
