Migs Pascual just turned 23 years old.
Six years ago, Pascual was considered among the most promising young playmakers in the country.
He was the team captain of one of the most storied high school programs in the Philippines, the San Beda Red Cubs.
He was also co-captain of the Batang Gilas team, which included the likes of Kai Sotto, Carl Tamayo, Forthsky Padrigao, and Geo Chiu. Together, they saw action in the FIBA Under-17 World Cup in Argentina.
Today, he eagerly awaits the opening of NCAA Season 100.
He will be playing for his second collegiate team when he suits up for San Sebastian College-Recoletos.
The once-mighty Stags, who were perennial title contenders in decades past, have not made the Final Four in the last three seasons.
Their last appearance in the semis was in NCAA Season 95, when they lost in the stepladder semifinals to eventual champion Letran.
Arvin Bonleon will take on the head coaching duties for San Sebastian, replacing John Kallos, who handled the Stags for just one season after taking over from long-time coach Edgar Macaraya.
Pascual, for his part, will be staging a comeback after his career was derailed by injuries and transfers.
From the Red Cubs in the NCAA, he moved to the UAAP to become part of the UE Red Warriors.
Moving to San Sebastian last year, he had to sit out one season due to residency.
In essence, Pascual will be joining a Stags squad whose path in recent years has mirrored his own basketball journey, with both in transition and seeking their way back to relevance and prominence.
It is this thought that has rekindled the fire in Pascual’s belly.
He said, “This NCAA Season 100, pinaghandaan ko po talaga at excited ako. Sa totoo lang, di ko po kinoconsider na rookie ako because of the experiences I have had from my previous coaches and teams.”
Pascual had always been known as a pass-first point guard who ensures he sets up his teammates and makes them look good.
His trademark unselfish play, though, will have to be tempered a bit this season as he will also be looked upon by the San Sebastian coaching staff to do his share of the offensive chores.
“Coach Arvin and his coaching staff play me as a combo guard. So as a combo guard, I expect myself to be aggressive and to be able to read certain situations na pwede kaming maka-shoot,” Pascual shared.
He is aware of the responsibility that comes with being someone who brings a wealth of experience gained from playing in both the local and international scenes.
Pascual wants to be able to use this to earn for himself the opportunity to be on the floor during crucial stretches of the game.
“Ang mentality ko this year, kahit anong group man ako – first, second, or third group – gusto ko ma-earn yung trust ng coaches and teammates ko to lead them and to be on the floor to finish the game. Gusto ko na mapakita na pwede silang magtiwala na kapag nasa loob ako, maganda ang mangyayari,” he added.
It is never easy, especially for a young player, to bounce back after one’s career does not initially turn out the way it was predicted to go.
Other players would have probably just given up or lost the drive to continue the grind. But Pascual has always had the good sense to take things in stride.
Even as a heady high school point guard with the Red Cubs and Batang Gilas, he had always displayed maturity beyond his years.
This has served him well in understanding how to view from a healthy perspective everything that has happened in his career.
“Medyo mahirap pero at the same time, alam ko may plano sakin si Lord kung bakit may mga injury and may mga transfers ng schools na nangyari. Never sumagi sa isip ko na mag-quit. Sabi ko lang sa sarili ko, basta ready ako, kundisyon ako at may coach na gusto ang laro ko. Part ng process yung injury and pagtransfer ng team,” he said.
“What is important is to have guts, to move on and to never give up.”
