Mack Tadeo boasts one of the most memorable nicknames in the ongoing UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Tournament.
Every glance at the statsheet brings a smile, as his name reads “Big Mac” – a moniker he has carried since his early playing days in Pampanga.
“Nakuha ko lang po sa amin kasi ‘yun yung tawag ng mga kalaro ko. Ayun, dumikit na lang siya,” shared the 15-year-old Tadeo, explaining how the nickname stuck with him.
But Tadeo is more than just his imposing frame and catchy nickname. He plays a big game too, and he proved that last Sunday with a career-defining performance for National University Nazareth School (NUNS) in a critical match-up against Ateneo High School.
With 6.4 seconds left on the clock, Tadeo nailed the biggest shot of his young career – a clutch jumper that lifted the Bullpups to a thrilling victory and brought them closer to securing the final spot in the UAAP Final Four.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Gusto ko lang manalo. Confident lang po talaga ako sa tira ko,” said the soft-spoken Tadeo, who finished the game with an impressive double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Performing under pressure is exactly why Bullpups head coach Kevin de Castro and Bulldogs head coach Jeff Napa brought Tadeo into the program.
De Castro recalled how they discovered him with the help of the same talent scout who found NUNS great Justine Baltazar.
“Actually, galing siya sa Pampanga. Yung naka-discover kay Justine Baltazar, na-contact ni Coach Jeff. So nung nalaman namin ni Coach Jeff, talagang dinayo namin sa Pampanga. Sabi nga namin, ‘Malay mo, the next Justine Baltazar’,” De Castro shared.
“At first, medyo mataba pa. Pero talagang may potential yung bata,” he added with a smile.
De Castro was grateful for the trust Big Mac’s father Marlon placed in them, noting that the elder Tadeo – a former basketball player himself – has high hopes for his son.
“Pero sana huwag siya makuntento at maabot niya yung pangarap ng daddy niya,” De Castro said. “Nung nalaman ng daddy niya na kinuha namin siya, hindi siya nagdalawang-isip.”
For Tadeo, being part of the prestigious NUNS basketball program and competing in the UAAP has been a dream come true.
“Sobrang saya ko dito sa NU. Tapos sa UAAP okay din po yung competition,” he said.
