Owing to the injuries she suffered early in her career, Mar Prado admitted that it had made her play tentatively.
“Dati parang takot ako maglaro kasi baka ma-injure ulit ako,” bared Prado, who broke her nose in her first game with the Adamson University back in UAAP Season 79. She also suffered a big wound above her left eye two seasons later.
But that did not stop her. Instead, she persevered, telling herself that she could overcome what she was feeling.
Prado is now in her fourth season, and she’s showing no signs of fear with the way she’s playing.
Prado is undeniably a huge reason why the Lady Falcons currently sport a 2-1 record in the Season 82 Women’s Basketball Tourney. She has posted impressive averages of 31.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 6.0 steals.
“Tinatagan ko lang loob ko na kaya ko ‘to; na kung kaya ng iba, kaya ko rin. Kaya ginagawa ko lang best ko,” the 23-year-old said.
“At sa tulong din ng teammates ko na andyan lagi tumutulong sa’kin, nagagawa ko rin yung best ko.”
Prado dropped 36 points versus the NU Lady Bulldogs in a losing cause in the season opener before making 39 markers versus the UE Lady Warriors. Still, she said that she never expected to put up such huge scoring performances.
But the constant reminders from coach Ewon Arayi have lifted her confidence in playing her game.
“Unexpected nga po yun eh, na ba’t nagagawa ko ngayon? Dati ‘di ko nagagawa,” said Prado, a member of last season’s Mythical Five with per-game averages of 16.0 points, 12.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 3.1 steals last season,
“At saka sa mga advices ng coaches ko na ‘kaya mo yan Mar, ‘wag ka susuko’. And sa mga sinasabi ng coach ko na ‘kaya mo yan. Kahit malaki sila at maliit ka, magaling ka sa skills’. Yun lagi sinasabi sa’kin ni coach Ewon.”
