At just 15 years old, Andrie Lopez had already waited five games for his chance to make a statement in the UAAP.
When it finally came, the National University Nazareth School rookie needed only 25 minutes to make sure everyone noticed.
Lopez erupted for a season-high 30 points as the Bullpups dismantled the Adamson Baby Falcons, 107-73, on Tuesday.
It was a remarkable breakout performance for Lopez, who entered the game without a single start to his name this season.
“Nag-usap-usapan lang kami sa loob ng court. Tiwala kami sa mga sarili at tiwala sa mga coaches,” the rookie Bullpup said.
But while his teammates and coaches played a key role in his breakthrough, Lopez knew exactly who he wanted to thank most after the game: his parents.
The 5-foot-10 forward was virtually unstoppable from the floor, knocking down 14 of 23 attempts for a 60.9-percent shooting clip. He also stuffed the stat sheet with six rebounds, four assists, and eight steals.
His 30-point explosion was a massive leap from the 8.6 points he averaged through NUNS’ first five games. Before facing Adamson, Lopez was only the Bullpups’ fourth-leading scorer.
After Tuesday’s performance, however, he jumped to second on the team in scoring at 12.17 points per game, trailing only Jessy Arellano.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
“Happy po ako kasi ngayon lang po ako nakapaglaro sa UAAP at nakuha ko ‘yung puntos na ganyang kalaki,” Lopez said.
Lopez’s journey to the Bullpups began with a tryout, where he caught the attention of the NUNS coaching staff and earned an opportunity to compete on the UAAP stage.
He made the most of that opportunity on Tuesday.
Yet for all the attention his record-breaking performance brought, personal accolades are not what Lopez is chasing.
The Tagum City native has his sights set on something much bigger with the Bullpups.
“Mag-champion po kami,” Lopez said.
And if Tuesday’s performance was any indication, NUNS may have just found another weapon in its growing arsenal as it pursues that goal.
