Andy Gemao recently displayed his best game of the NCAA season, scoring a career-high 35 points in a game that secured his team’s sixth win of the season.
But what makes this game even more special is that Gemao played in front of his idol, former Letran Squire and NCAA Season 87 Juniors Most Valuable Player, Rey Nambatac.
Gemao had been looking up to Nambatac since he was a child, and he was thrilled to have the opportunity to play in front of him.
“Si Kuya Rey [Nambatac], yung nag-commentator po ngayon. Si Kuya Rey po talaga yung nilolook-up ko,” he said.
Gemao even tried to pattern his playstyle after Nambatac, admiring the Rain or Shine player’s shot creation and ability to create plays.
“Dati pa lang nanonood na ko ng mga games niya. Kung pano siya off-the-catch na mga shooting, and kung pano siya crumeate sa ilalim,” the 16-year-old native of Iligan said about the Letran great from Cagayan de Oro.
The two basketball players share some similarities in their careers.
Both played in Letran’s Juniors Basketball Program, with Nambatac earning the Juniors MVP award in 2011 and Gemao on track to potentially win it this season.
Additionally, both represented the Philippines during their teen years, with Nambatac winning a gold medal in the SEABA U18 Championship in 2012, and Gemao being the youngest member of the Gilas U16 Asian Championship team at just 15 years old.
But it wasn’t just the chance to play in front of his idol that motivated Gemao.
The previous record for the most points in a game this season was held by Lyceum’s Matthew Rubico, who scored 32 points in a game against Jose Rizal University on February 8.
“Yung nag 32 points si Rubico yun po yung naging motivation ko po. Lagi kong nilalagay sa isip ko na kaya ko yun higitan,” said Gemao. He was determined to beat that record and make it his own, which he did in impressive fashion.
The game was an impressive display of Gemao’s talent and potential, and it was clear that he was inspired by the presence of his idol. But beyond the personal achievement, Gemao’s performance also helped his team secure a crucial win.
It’s not often that a young athlete gets the chance to play in front of their hero, and even rarer still that they get to perform at their best in that moment.
For Andy Gemao, this was a moment that he will surely remember for the rest of his life.
