Allen Liwag was in attendance for College of Saint Benilde’s Season 102 opener, but he will have to wait indefinitely before getting the chance to suit up in his farewell year.
The reigning NCAA MVP sustained a leg injury at Benilde Gym during the offseason and underwent surgery on August 20.
Despite the absence of their star big man, the Blazers escaped defending champion San Beda University, 77-68, on Sunday. And for head coach Paolo Layug, it is now a matter of the rest of the squad stepping up in Liwag’s absence.
“We have other guys who can step in; that’s what we expect. Today it was Irele [Galas] — he got us, he played great today,” he said.
The 24-year-old from La Carlota City delivered a stellar outing. He scored 12 points on 62.5-percent shooting while grabbing six rebounds as Benilde pulled off the upset over the Red Lions.
The victory also snapped San Beda’s 21-year winning streak in NCAA opening-day games.
Although Liwag could only watch from the sidelines, his presence was still felt on the bench and in the locker room.
“You saw him there; he was supporting the team. He’s one of their brothers, one of our players,” Layug added.
Last season, the 6-foot-6 big man averaged 15.7 points and nine rebounds en route to his second straight MVP award.
While CSB already scored an impressive win without its star center, Liwag’s eventual return could give the Blazers an even bigger boost as they look to make another deep postseason run.
After falling short in the Finals and Final Four in recent years, Benilde could certainly use its star center in his final playing year — and for Layug, that remains the hope for now.
“He’s recovering. Hopefully, he’ll be back soon.”
