Just a day after Ateneo’s top rookie Jared Bahay and La Salle’s top gunner Kevin Quiambao reset their respective career highs, Far Eastern University standout Veejay Pre proved he belongs among the UAAP’s best on Sunday night.
Pre drew motivation from those performances, but ultimately, it was his idol Quiambao’s career-high 33 points that gave him the extra push to have a career night for the Tamaraws.
Twenty-four hours after the intense Ateneo-La Salle rivalry clash, Pre set a career-high with 31 points on 11-of-17 shooting, adding 14 rebounds in FEU’s 70-79 loss to the University of Santo Tomas at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The 19-year-old do-it-all bruiser accomplished what only a few newcomers could – becoming the first rookie to breach 30 points since former Tamaraw RJ Abarrientos.
Abarrientos set his 33-point performance in their 68-73 loss to the NU Bulldogs in Season 84 on April 2, 2022.
Pre’s stellar game was also the second-most points scored by an FEU rookie since the computerization of stats in 2003, trailing only Abarrientos – who now plays for Barangay Ginebra in the PBA.
“Buong season, nagstra-struggle talaga ako and ayon, kanina buti nakuha ko naman and hopefully, sana tuloy-tuloy na ito,” shared the Floridablanca, Pampanga native.
“Kagabi kasi bago matulog, pinanood ko highlights [ni Kevin Quiambao] tapos sabi ko sa sarili ko, kaya ko rin kaya ‘yun.”
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
While his best outing in the UAAP seniors’ ranks ended in defeat, Pre acknowledged that it came at an ideal time. He plans to use his impressive rookie showing as a much-needed confidence booster to strengthen the Tamaraws’ Final Four hopes.
With four elimination games left, the loss dropped FEU to a 3-7 record, tying them with Ateneo and Adamson University for fifth place.
“Sobrang laki po kasi yun nga, sobrang laki ng tiwala nila sa akin, kineclaim ko lang po yun. And yun nga, yung opportunity minsan lang dumating, tapos yun, ginagrab ko lang po yun, yung laging sinasabi ng parents ko sa’kin,” the 6-foot-5 forward revealed.
Despite several teammates battling food poisoning ahead of the crucial game against the Growling Tigers, Pre remained proud of the Tamaraws’ valiant stand. In particular, he commended Mo Konateh and Jorick Bautista for playing through illness.
With another moral victory under their belt, Pre affirmed that the young and revamped FEU squad will continue pushing forward, confident that their efforts will eventually pay off.
“Ang masasabi ko lang is siyempre masaya pa rin kahit yung mga kuya namin is may sakit – sila Mo and kuya Jorick. At least lumaban kami and sabi sa amin ng mga coaches namin wag namin isipin yun and tuloy-tuloy lang. Laban lang hanggang dulo,” shared the UAAP Season 86 boys’ 3×3 basketball MVP.
“Masasabi ko lang sa team namin is proud na proud ako kasi lumalaban kami kahit younger kami, and yung process palaging sinasabi nila Sir Mark [Molina] yun and darating sa’min yung panalo.”
