6’4 stretch forward Michael Calisaan was expected to lead the San Sebastian Golden Stags this season.
During his sophomore year, the Pampanga-native won the NCAA Season 91 Most Improved Player award with norms of 16.12 points and 8.06 rebounds. With the graduation of Bradwyn Guinto, Calisaan was pegged as the next anchor of the Stags defense for years to come.
However, the 21 year old figured in a freak motorcycle accident last May 22. This caused Calisaan to miss the home stretch of the Premier Cup.
“Galing ako sa aksidente bago nung season. Nung first round medyo may takot pa ako, ngayon nawawala yun,” eshared.
“Nawala din ang tiwala ko sa sarili ko nung first round. Tinulungan ako ni coach [Egay Macaraya] para maibalik yung tiwala sa sarili ko.”
During the first round, Calisaan settled for jumpshots, a complete opposite from his game a season ago. His norms dropped to just 7.8 points and 4.5 rebounds while his team suffered with a 1-8 slate to close out the round.
“Michael is a classic example. He was focused too much on the accident and the distraction, pero nag-focus sya sa defense and rebound,” Macaraya shared about his big man.
“Good things happen if we play through the distraction.”
Trying to put the past behind, Calisaan willed his way in the second round, helping his team slay NCAA giants Perpetual, San Beda, and Mapua to notch a three-game winning streak, the school’s longest winning run in two seasons. The forward also raised his averages to 12.0 points and 9.6 rebounds during the three-game rampage.
However, the memories of the freak accident continues to hunt Calisaan up to this day.
With two minutes remaining in his team’s tilt against the Mapua Cardinals, he was able to convert on a smooth lay-up against big man Allwell Oraeme. The foreign student-athlete’s hand slightly swiping Calisaan’s face for the and-one. Calisaan though sat on the baseline, feeling his face.
“Hindi pa ako fully recovered. Pag tinatamaan ako o nasasaktan ako, parang nag-flaflashback yung sakit,” he recalled.
“Kanina nasiko ako ni Allwell Oraeme, parang pumasok na naman yung [alaala nung] aksidente.”
The San Sebastian community are doing its part to help their ace big man recover and move-on from the trauma the accident had caused.
“Nag-thetherapy pa ako ngayon. Pina-therapy nila ako sa student guidance namin para maka-recover ako ng husto,” he shared.
Moreover, his teammates, his brothers-at-arm, are continuously pushing Calisaan to do better for the betterment of himself and the team.
“Pinu-push nila ako at tinutulangan nila ako. Sabi nila, kalimutan ko na raw ang nangyari kasi tapos na iyon at hindi na puwede ibalik iyon,” he added.
Calisaan is hoping that his road to recovery continues to help him forget the misfortune he went through last Summer.
“Sana nga magtuloy-tuloy. Dasal lang naman at hard work. Trabaho lang at naman at sundin lang si coach,” he closed.
“Laki ng pasasalamat ko na malaki ang tiwala niya sa akin.”
