Steve Nash Enriquez has been nothing but a winner ever since he first played in the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament.
After missing the first three games due to a hamstring injury, the NBA legend-namesake led National University to three straight wins, including upsets over University of the Philippines and De La Salle University.
In his first game back on October 12, Enriquez provided instant impact with 10 points, two assists, two steals, and a plus-17 in a five-point win over the Fighting Maroons. He followed it up with a seven-point, four-steal performance against Adamson University before capping his three-game hot streak with 16 points, three rebounds, three assists, and a plus-14 in their 80-76 win over the Green Archers on Wednesday.
“Si Nash kasi… pagagalitan ko yan pero at the end of the day, balewala naman yun. Alam niya rin kasi na kailangan ko siya. Happy ako kasi hindi niya ako iniwanan,” said Bulldogs coach Jeff Napa.
“Yung something to prove para mawala doon sa shadow ng kung sino man, yun yung maganda kay Nash na he challenges everything,” added the bench tactician on Enriquez, NU’s sophomore floor general.
“Good thing makapal ang mukha, talagang born to be a leader.”
The leader as he is in just his second year for the Bulldogs, the 5-foot-9 floor general has been showing that quality ever since his comeback.
This as he is just “70 to 80 percent” but has been playing crucial stretch for the blue and gold, averaging 17 minutes with a season-high 23:42 against La Salle.
“Seventy to eighty percent kasi sa ensayo bunot lang ako kasi kailangan ng rest. Dapat sa first round limited lang ako eh pero gusto kong maglaro eh,” said Enriquez.
“Gusto kong makatulong sa team so thankful ako kay God na walang nangyayaring masama sa amin.”
After their first win against the Green Archers since Season 78, NU rose to the top of the standings at 5-1, thanks to a four-game winning run.
But Enriquez knows there’s a lot to be done despite their league-leading record.
“Thankful kami na nanalo po kami pero marami pa kaming kulang. Nagrelax din kami noong huli, dapat sa amin na yun nashoot pa nila.”
