From last season’s clean-up guy to this year’s team captain, the Far Eastern University Tamaraws are now drawing inspiration from the workhorse efforts of Raymar Jose.
Jose, who was part of the Philippine team that won the 2016 SEABA Cup last summer, was a man possessed during FEU’s opening assignment against the De La Salle University Green Archers — he never backed down from the challenge of defending 6’7 Cameroonian student-athlete Ben Mbala.
“That’s what we told everybody: ‘don’t be afraid, bring it to him,'” FEU head coach Nash Racela said about his team continuously challenging the imposing La Salle frontline.
And Jose heeded his mentor’s advice.
“Siyempre ang laki niya kaya lahat ng layup namin napapalpal, malaking bagay rin siya sa ilalim,” the 6’4 big man shared about Mbala. “Parang bahay niya dun. Parang siya yung goalie nila.”
“[Pero] para sa amin, walang gi-give up, laban lang nang laban. Kung anong sistema ni coach, takbo lang namin, sundin lang namin si coach.”
However, with the Tamaraws knotting the game at 74-all after falling by as many as 16 points, the weight of defending Mbala for 25 minutes eventually took its toll on Jose, who suffered cramps with 3:18 remaining in the game.
“That’s expected because it’s just the first game. He was also guarding Mbala the whole time so mahirap talaga,” Racela remarked about Jose. “They kept on pushing him.”
“Para sa akin, sobarang sakit kasi okay na yung laro namin, nakuha na namin momentum, biglang nawala ako sa loob kaya nafrustrate ako,” the King Tamaraw lamented.
“Gusto ko bumalik agad, pero wala eh.”
The Negros Occidental native eventually returned to the game with a minute to go, but Jeron Teng had already given La Salle enough cushion to take home the win.
The Gilas Cadet, though, still sees a silver lining from the loss to La Salle.
“Tulad ng sinabi nila coach, okay lang kasi nandun pa rin kami sa game,” he shared. “Bale, kinapos lang kami ng konti.”
And with Mac Belo, Mike Tolomia, RR Pogoy, and Russel Escoto leaving Morayta for a greater cause, Jose has taken the responsibility to keep his team in check at all times.
“Siguro yung sinasabi ko lang palagi sa kanila, focus lang, go hard lang, aggressive lang,” he concluded. “Yung gameplan namin, gawin lang namin.”
“Wala nang beterano kaya sa akin binigay ni coach [ang responsibilidad]. In-accept ko na lang talaga na ako na ‘to kasi siyempre, wala nang ibang magsasabi.”
