And he did that with a bum ankle.
By becoming the sixth player in recorded UAAP history to join the 40-point club, Pasaol is hands-down the Chooks-to-Go/SMART-UAAP Press Corps Player of the Week.
But even with the spotlight beaming brightly over him, the 21-year-old cager said he was simply doing as his mentor and team have asked of him.
Pasaol registered 49 points on a 20-for-30 shooting clip in a 100-106 stand against powerhouse Green Archers.
“Nilaro ko lang ‘yung talagang best ko na hinihingi ni [Coach Derrick Pumaren] sa akin,” Pasaol said. “Nag-stick lang talaga (ako) sa game plan namin.
“Salamat din sa mga teammates ko kasi hindi ko naman makukuha ‘yung 49 points kung [hindi dahil sa kanila].”
The Davao native is the first Filipino to breach 40 points in a game in over a decade. Jeff Napa — who is now the Letran College’s head coach — once scored 43 on August 22, 2002.
Pasaol, who beat Matt Nieto of Ateneo, Jerrick Ahanmisi of Adamson, and Ben Mbala of La Salle for the weekly plum, also furthered his legend in UE’s basketball lore after besting Allan Caidic and James Yap’s personal bests of 46 and 36 points.
“Alvin is different compared to (Jun) Limpot, Allan (Caidic) [na] nahawakan ko sa amateur. Alvin is like akala mo, hindi nya alam yung play, parang hindi nakikinig pero once you start the play, he knows it,” Pumaren said of his ward.
“First time ata that I’ve coached a local that scored 49. Kasi dati import lang ang nakaka-score [ng ganoon kataas] pero ngayon, he really gave us a show.”
Pasaol would ride on the momentum of the Wednesday’s close affair with the Green Archers and register 32 points just this Sunday to will the UE past the University of Santo Tomas leaving the Growling Tigers the only winless team after the UAAP’s first round hostilities.
The stocky forward is currently norming 22.4 points a game. He’s also averaging 5.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per outing.
