Forgiveness.
That is what Mark Belmonte chose following the incident with Jose Rizal University’s John Amores in the PG FLEX-UCBL Preseason Invitational Tournament last July 26.
During the game, UP’s Mark Belmonte and JRU’s John Amores were jockeying for position.
Belmonte threw a short elbow to the chest of Amores. Amores then retaliated by hitting Belmonte with an elbow to his back.
As the JRU player tried to drag Belmonte up through the collar of his jersey, he swung a huge right that connected to the face of a prone Belmonte.
The game was called off afterward.
Since then, Amores has returned to JRU while Belmonte has subbed in for Collin Dimaculangan in the Hanes 1-on-1 King of the Court tournament.
The 18-year-old Belmonte has chosen to move on from what happened.
“Okay na ko ngayon kasi naasikaso naman kami don sa UP. Di naman ako pinabayaan kaya naging mabilis yung pagrecover ko,” shared Belmonte to Tiebreaker Times after his loss to Arellano’s Niel Tolentino in the final, 3-6.
Belmonte had to undergo oral surgery afterward.
Looking back, the 6-foot-6 forward who will make his Fighting Maroons debut next year also said that physicality has always been a part of the game.
“Kasi as a player okay na sakin, kasama sa laro yun. Mali lang talaga yung ginawa niya pero para sa akin okay na,” he continued.
“Okay na yun kasi parang forgiveness lang ba.”
Belmonte also felt the love from the UP community after the incident as many expressed their concern after what happened.
“Yung UP community lang talaga nagalit kasi concern sila sakin, pero yun okay na.”
And that incident will only make young Belmonte stronger, especially when he makes his UAAP debut next year.
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