“He’s a game changer.”
That’s how simply Gabe Norwood, Rain or Shine’s resident star, put into words Jonathan Uyloan’s transformation from a mere practice player to become one of the team’s vital cogs.
“He comes out and worked for everything from being a practice player for us a couple of years back to getting into the roster. It just works. He works hard and he leaves it on the court every game. That’s the type of player this team is made of,” Norwood told Tiebreaker Times. According to Norwood, Uyloan has been showing this type of game even during practice, giving everyone a run for their money, including the first group.
“That’s what got him off the practice team and on to the lineup.”
Uyloan, a third string guard who’s been getting significant minutes for the Elasto Painters the past two conferences, was the hardworking guard got into the head of Alaska’s main man Calvin Abueva. Late in Game 4, Abueva swung at Uyloan, who was hit in the midsection and was sent down to the canvas. For his action, Abueva was thrown out of the game after being called for a flagrant foul penalty 2.
Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao called Abueva’s move a “stupid” one.
“We were helped a lot by the stupid move of Abueva. Nakatulong yun,” Guiao said during the post game interview.
But Guiao clarified the Elasto Painters will need to work harder and make their own fortunes and not rely on anyone to get some sort of good breaks.
“But we cannot rely on him (Abueva) to make some stupid moves. In the future, we just have to win it [on] our own,” he added.
