Fresh off a decorated UAAP high school boys’ basketball career where he won the Season 85 MVP plum, National University point guard Reinhard Jumamoy seemed poised to bolster the Bulldogs’ pursuit for an elusive title from Season 86 and beyond.
After all, his final year with the NU-Nazareth School program under coach Kevin de Castro saw Jumamoy become the first-ever Bullpup to win the UAAP boys’ basketball MVP plum.
He amassed 102.5 statistical points built on 18 points, 9.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 2.8 assists per contest — so the hype and expectations surrounding Jumamoy were understandable.
However, these expectations may have gotten the best of the Cebuano point guard.
Jumamoy struggled to find his footing as he figured in a sophomore slump, marred by seeing low minutes in Season 86 before averaging just 4.79 points on a 21.74-percent shooting clip, 1.64 rebounds, 1.36 assists, and 0.71 steals in Season 87.
Through these trying times, Jumamoy admitted that there was indeed the temptation to quit. But through his perseverance and unwavering dedication to seek greatness, the 22-year-old point guard from Cebu is beginning to prove that he belongs among the league’s best for the Bulldogs in the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament.
“Kinailangan ko lang talaga magkaroon ng faith both sa sarili ko and kay God. ‘Yon yung masasabi ko na walang problema na hindi matatagusan, basta may tiwala ka sa sarili mo and kay God,” the 5-foot-11 floor general told Tiebreaker Times.
“Wala ako masabi, grabe si Lord din kung magbigay kasi minsan, naisipan ko na rin mag-give up. Pero iniisip ko talaga na hindi ako ilalagay ni Lord sa sitwasyon na hindi ko matatagusan yung mga ganitong problema. Luckily, grabe talaga si Lord.”
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Limited to just 2.4 points on a 20.83-percent shooting clip, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.8 assists through five games in Season 88, Jumamoy came through in the clutch.
He scored all of his eight points in the fourth to propel NU past De La Salle University, Sunday evening at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.
Beyond catching fire at the perfect moment, Jumamoy showed poise well beyond his years to fend off the Green Archers’ comeback attempt. He stole the ball from Mike Phillips in the dying seconds before making both of his charities to secure the Bulldogs’ place atop the eight-team field with a 5-1 win-loss card.
“Wala ako masabi. Ang masasabi ko lang ay thankful ako kay Lord kasi ‘yon nga, never ako nag-give up sa mga down moments ko.
“Iniisip ko lang na alam ko pinapatrabaho ni Lord sa akin ito and alam ko na I am built for this. Hindi naman niya ako bibigyan ng sitwasyon na ganito kung hindi ko kakayanin. So luckily, yung story ko nga ngayon ay it’s all about timing talaga -— timing na mga tira, kailangan ko ma-shoot at buti nashu-shoot naman,” Jumamoy revealed.
Eager to sustain his steady rise with NU in his junior year, Jumamoy revealed that it will take more than sharpening his physical and basketball skills. He cited the importance of preparing himself mentally to not only rediscover his Bullpups form, but to pursue the ultimate goal of giving the Bulldogs their first title since Season 77 in 2014.
“Para ma-sustain ito, magsta-start talaga lahat sa practice ‘eh sa kung paano ko i-prepare yung sarili ko at yung mindset ko. Kasi lagi ko nga sinasabi sa sarili ko na tamang mindset lang naman yung kailangan ko ‘eh,” he vowed.
“Magsta-start talaga sa ensayo kung paano ko pukpukin yung sarili ko both physically and mentally.”
#WATCH: Reinhard Jumamoy on his clutch heroics vs La Salle: “I’m built for this.” 🐶🏀
📹 @ErnestTuazon /Tiebreaker Times#UAAPSeason88 pic.twitter.com/iGWduVHlbJ
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) October 12, 2025
