For the first time in the NCAA 97 Seniors’ Basketball Tournament, Fran Yu made an appearance.
Well, the Fran Yu we all saw in the Season 95 playoffs and finals, that is.
With three and a half minutes to go and Emilio Aguinaldo College threatening at just six points down on Wednesday, the fourth-year point guard turned it on for Letran, scoring nine points, all on triples right in the face of defenders, all right on top of outstretched arms. It was “Playoff Fran”, but right here, right now in the eliminations.
In the end, Yu had 11 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals to his name, by far his best line in a season that had him averaging 5.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists prior to the matchup opposite the Generals. What’s scarier? He was smiling after taking and making those tough shots. He was having fun while playing, but he was dead serious about winning it for the Knights.
Before that outburst, coming through in the clutch, especially during close contests, was the primetime playmaker’s biggest worry. Asked about what he thinks he needs to work on as the unquestioned leader of the defending champions, his answer was short and sweet, “Yung decision-making ko sa endgame. Yung ginagawa ko sa dulo, kailangan ko pang ayusin.”
In their previous outing, Letran also had to weather a late storm by LPU. And in that endgame, Yu acknowledged he wasn’t great, and ultimately wound up with nine points, seven assists, and five rebounds, but with three turnovers, a couple coming late.
That wasn’t happening again. He wasn’t letting that happen again. Yu remains one of the Knights’ best, if not the best, closers. Let the presence of MVP contenders Rhenz Abando and Jeo Ambohot, Most Improved candidate Louie Sangalang, and talented transferee Brent Paraiso not let anybody forget that.
—
Photo courtesy of Letran’s The Lance
Letran isn’t Fran Yu’s team. It never was. It isn’t. And it’ll never be.
What the Knights are is a squad that has a proven winner at point, a battle-tested floor leader who wants nothing else but to win. That’s why even though he wasn’t putting up award-worthy numbers, as expected by many in the preseason, Yu was happy. The defending champions were winning. The defending champions were perfect.
“Hindi ako disappointed sa laro ko. Bakit naman ako magiging disappointed?” he shared, with a chuckle over the phone. “‘Di ko team ‘to. Naglalaro ako para sa Letran, yung nasa harap ng jersey, ‘di yung nasa likod. Wala akong pakialam sa mga ganun.”
Even more, Yu remains humble as always, admitting that truth be told, he’s actually not playing at the level he wants to be at. And no, it’s not his single-digit points or assists per game he’s seeing as problematic.
“Personally, ‘di ako masaya sa sarili kong laro kasi nag-average ako ng four turnovers per game,” he shared.
“‘Di na pwedeng ganun kasi ako na yung beterano. Sakin na dapat manggaling yung pagiging steady.”
While he remains laser-focused on getting better game-by-game, he’s at the same time thankful for the fact that he doesn’t necessarily need to carry a heavy burden in the first place. He has the capability and the confidence to score when Letran needs it, but the Knights’ depth and balance doesn’t necessitate it all that much. The arrival of Abando, himself a top-tier scorer, as well as Paraiso also allows Yu to just take his time and pick his spots.
“Malaking bagay si Rhenz kasi parang ‘di kami nawalan ng Jerrick Balanza. Napunan niya yun,” he shared. “Tapos parang ‘di kami nawalan ng Bonbon [Batiller] kas nandyan naman si Brent.
Indeed, Abando is a go-to guy on offense just like Balanza, just with the skills to also make a difference at the other end. Paraiso, meanwhile, is a two-way player just like Batiller. And because of those two, one could argue that, actually, Letran lost nothing from its championship core.
—
Of course, that’s not true at all. Balanza, the heart and soul of that championship, is the biggest loss. Other voids needing to be filled are courtesy of exits by Batiller, Larry Muyang, and Ato Ular, among others.
Fortunately for Letran, their lead guard remains in Intramuros, and remains true to himself. Yu will never be anything but a team player – it’s Chris Ross he patterns his play after, after all.
“Yung pagiging point guard ni Chris Ross, yung wala yung score basta manalo yung team,” he said in the most recent finals, talking about San Miguel’s Fil-Am guard who first made a name for himself as a defensive stopper before rounding out his game.
“Siya talaga pinaka-idol ko.”
Then, Yu proved his point by averaging 13.7 points, 6.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.0 steals en route to helping the Knights upend once-perfect archrival San Beda. After doing it all, at the end of it all, he was celebrating both a championship and a Finals MVP award.
Since then, he has kept his line open for Ross, and has even exchanged messages with his idol more than a few times. Until now, Yu’s blueprint is Ross – a heady point guard who can do a little bit of anything and everything, all while proving clutch.
“Yung pagiging unselfish niya sa loob ng court, yun talaga ang pinakagusto kong gayahin sa kanya. Team player talaga siya, inuuna niya paano magpagaling ng teammate,” he shared. “Tapos siyempre, yung defense, yung rebounding. Sa basketball naman, ‘di lang puro points e.
“So kahit walang score, basta manalo.”
But if and when Letran needs his scoring, he will answer the call. Just ask EAC about it. He knows full well that each and every team is gunning for them, and the Knights need to be prepared to take their best shot, and then have the necessary counter.
“Kami rito, ayaw naming lumaki ulo namin. One game at a time lang kami, ‘di kami favorites, underdogs pa rin,” he shared. “Naghahanda kami ng mabuti para sa lahat. Tini-treat namin ang every game as championship game.”
If that’s the case, then the Knights’ opponents better be ready and raring to give their best. Because if every game is a championship game for Letran, then it’s just a matter of time before “Playoff Fran” makes an appearance.
