Jun Roque’s importance to University of Perpetual Help System DALTA becomes evident in every match the Altas play.
Before their game against Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Roque had been averaging 11.83 points, 6.67 rebounds, and 2.33 assists for the Altas. He was the third-highest scorer on the team.
The hyper-athletic 21-year-old forward has consistently fueled Perpetual’s offense, and his value on both ends of the court is apparent to everyone who watches him play.
The one exception, according to head coach Myk Saguiguit, is Roque himself, who may sometimes forget his own talent.
When asked about Roque’s role as a key contributor to the team, Saguiguit joked, “I am happy to hear you say that to him, na siya yung isa sa main guys, kasi sa ibang games parang hindi niya alam eh.”
He then turned to Roque and told him, “Siya na nagsasabi pre, isa ka sa main guys, panindigan mo na yan.”
Roque’s struggles were evident even in their last game against San Sebastian College-Recoletos. In the Altas’ 64-50 victory, Roque had a tough time, scoring only seven points on 3-of-11 shooting from the field.
Throughout the season, the second-year wing has been surprisingly inconsistent from beyond the arc, hitting only 11.11-percent of his three-pointers after shooting at a 27.03-percent rate in his rookie year.
However, in the Altas’ 74-59 win over Letran, Roque reminded everyone, including himself, of his true capabilities.
With the Altas trailing in the first half, Roque came out after halftime with a hot hand, sinking six three-pointers in the third and fourth quarters, resulting in a full stat line of 22 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks.
Saguiguit later commended Roque’s performance, highlighting his ability to find the right spots on the floor and trust his teammates to get him the ball.
“Si Jun kasi, nagbebenefit. Galing humanap ng puwesto eh, lagi siyang available doon sa spots na rinurun naming sets kaya siya yung nabe-benefit. Siguro hindi suwerte kasi shooter naman talaga siya,” said Saguiguit.
Roque also credited team captain and senior guard Jielo Razon for continuously motivating him and correcting his mistakes.
“Sobrang thankful ko sa kanya kasi bawat mali ko tinuturuan niya ako, onting ano lang minomotivate niya ako para makuha ko yung laro ko talaga,” shared Roque.
