For the last two weeks, Ricci Rivero and the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons figured in a tough training camp in Serbia and Croatia. Safe to say, it was a grind.
“Mahirap. Twice a day siya every day tapos minsan three times. So tapos hindi lang siya ‘yung simple training kasi,” recalled Ricci Rivero, who had just transferred from La Salle to UP last May.
“Wild, basta wild. Sobrang wild. Hindi namin siya inexpect.”
To top it all off, even their flight back home was a grind in itself.
From Belgrade, Serbia, the Fighting Maroons had a two-hour flight to Istanbul, Turkey. Then from Istanbul, the team figured in a 10 hour flight back to Manila. Add to that, their arrival was delayed for approximately 45 minutes as the plane landed at around 7:15pm instead of their expected 6:30pm.
“Noong pag-labas, halos 7:15 na ako nakalabas. Iniwan ko na nga ‘yung check-in luggage ko eh, pinadala ko na lang sa bus ng UP, sa teammate ko actually,” shared the 20-year-old.
Then there was the usual Manila traffic.
Rivero would have been excused from attending Monday night’s Gilas practice for the Asian Games. Yet he pushed through to answer the call of duty.
“It’s one step of reaching your goals and representing your country. Actually kahit naman hindi siya Gilas or whatsoever, basta gusto mo talaga, gagawin mo naman eh.
“So, eto, it’s my way of telling myself also to like, dapat magkaroon ako ng sense of urgency, ‘di ba?,” said the Gilas cadet. “Kasi parang binigyan nila ako ng chance to represent the country, to be part of this, tapos re-relax-relax ako kasi pagod ako? Hindi eh. Parang pagod ako, okay, pero kaya naman.
“So why not exert effort and go?”
Rivero knows that it will be tough for him to crack the Final 12 for the continental meet, as the rest of the team are composed of grizzled veterans. But for him, it’s all about learning from the best.
“Kasi parang I’m gonna learn for sure from this one, kasi getting to train with my kuyas talaga, sobrang big factor na for me, sobrang makakatulong na siya for me, as a college player,” said the UAAP Season 80 Most Improved Player. “And nagsta-start pa lang naman ako, so hindi pa ako like them na well-experienced na talaga, parang nakita na halos lahat sa basketball.”
One of the moments he can’t wait for is getting to be scolded by fiery yet amiable mentor Yeng Guiao.
“‘Yung ganoon, normal naman ‘yun sa coaches. Kasi ‘yun nga, ang sabi nila sa mga ganyan, kapag athlete ka, doon mo maiintindihan. Kasi kapag nagkamali ka tapos sinigawan ka, ang pakinggan mo is ‘yung message na sinasabi sa’yo, hindi ‘yung tone.
“So doon kailangan. Kasi ganoon din naman lahat eh – Coach Aldin [Ayo], lahat. ‘Yung mga coaches ko before. Lahat sila, mapapasigaw talaga and all, pero ‘yun nga, ang intindihin mo and ang isipin mo talaga is ‘yung message, not the tone,” gushed Rivero.
But even if he was not part of the pool, Rivero, just like any fan, is just glad that the Philippines will be competing in the Asiad.
“I was like prayers lang talaga, sabi ko, sabi nga magbabalik ulit ng team for Asian Games.”
