Fran Yu has been spectacular for Letran during this post-season.
After averaging 9.4 points, 3.8 boards, and 4.4 dimes during the elimination round, the 5-foot-10 floor general raised his game to the tune of 13.3 points, 4.67 assists, and 5.33 rebounds.
And the 21-year-old has been steering Letran to wins — including a 65-64 win over San Beda to take Game One of the NCAA Season 95 Seniors Basketball Finals.
After all, he did not want to waste the magical run he and the Knights have been on.
“Sinabi sa amin ni coach mas grabe pinagdaan namin nung Final Four. Kasi once na matalo kami dun, wala na kami,” shared Yu.”Ngayon best-of-three, ‘pag matalo kami first game, pwede pa kami bumawi next game. Mas grabe ‘yung kaba namin nung stepladder.
“Atsaka alam namin pa-peak na ‘yung team namin. Mas maganda sa amin kasi tignan mo sila, nakapagpahinga. ‘Yung Lyceum nakapagpahinga rin. Kami, tuloy-tuloy ‘yung laro pa angat kami.“
But Yu almost did not return to Letran for his second year.
First-year Knights head coach Bonnie Tan disclosed that Yu — who played in Thailand college Trail International School back in 2016 — almost left the country anew during the off-season.
And it might have been because he suffered heartbreak against Lyceum to close out their Season 94 campaign.
“Nagpaalam siya before to tryout for other teams. Ni-let go ko,” recalled Tan, as Yu underwhelmed during his rookie year, averaging just 2.6 points, 0.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 0.7 steals.
“I’m just testing his character and loyalty niya sa school.”
Fortunately for Letran, Yu had a change of heart.
“Meron akong kailangan tapusin dito sa Letran, kasi last year, ayun nga nangyari. Andito na kami ngayon at tatapusin na namin ‘to.”
For his part, Tan was confident that Yu will return. He knew that Yu was too loyal to Letran for him to leave.
The rest, as they say, is history. And on Friday, Yu and the rest of the Knights can make history for themselves with one more win.
