Jordan Bartlett turned the Mall of Asia atrium into Rucker Park.
The new De La Salle University Green Archer showed off an impressive array of dribble moves that kept spectators on their heels and caused passers-by to stop.
Moreover, Bartlett unleashed his stingy defense en route to becoming the first-ever UAAP Last 1 Standing champion.
The 5-foot-11 guard bested Kobe Paras in the finals, scoring the requisite 11 points with an eternity left on the game clock.
“That’s how I play, I play fast. That’s my niche. Regardless if he’s (Paras) tired or not, I’m gonna play way anyway,” the Fil-Am student-athlete pointed out.
“Obviously, playing one-on-one, there’s no such thing as a ballhog. I played in a couple of parks here and there and I got a couple of tricks up my sleeve.”
The former NY Bulldog was elated to get a chance to play and felt no need for validation, even as officials from his former school were present during the all-day event.
“I know that I have the support from the coaching staff, management, and the entire school, so all this is a confidence-booster for me,” the 20-year-old shared.
“That’s it. It was just icing on the cake to have this as a way to see my progress coming into the next season.”
Facing Gilas Cadet Kobe Paras, Bartlett reflected on their different, yet parallel basketball paths.
“We’re in opposite situations, but similar in terms of serving the residency. We both came from the States, different levels o … We got here in different ways. It’s good talking to him.”
