In just his second year with the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, Juan Gomez de Liano is already being tasked by UP head coach Bo Perasol to be one of the team’s leaders.
And why not?
During the off-season, the 18-year-old had already trained with some of the country’s best with the Gilas Cadets. Moreover, he made sure to work on his game during the off-season.
His work paid dividends right away, as the 6-foot-1 guard tallied 16 points, seven rebounds, and six assists to steer UP’s 87-58 rout of the University of the East Red Warriors.
If De Liano will continue to make this a trend, he shared that he is all for it.
“Coach Bo told me to become ta leader for this team so I’ll just continue to create for them,” he said.
“We did pretty well. Continue to trust the system. Our job is to give it our best and just do it.”
All throughout the game, the combo guard showcased numerous passes that were highlight-worthy. But for him, it’s not about the show, it’s about being laser-focused.
“That’s just what I do ever since. It’s not fancy, it’s accurate.”
