Sophomore forward Mark Belmonte stood out in a stacked UP Fighting Maroons roster in their dominating victory over the NU Bulldogs in UAAP Season 87.
From the 1st player to the 16th, the UP Fighting Maroons undoubtedly have one of the strongest and deepest lineups for UAAP Season 87.
Boasting several notable names in the roster, it was forward Mark Belmonte who led the way in UP’s 27-point victory against the NU Bulldogs on Wednesday, September 18, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
The 6-foot-5 high-flyer finished with a career-high 14 points on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting, along with three rebounds and two assists.
Whether starting or coming off the bench, Belmonte continues to stay ready for the Fighting Maroons, ready to shine when called upon.
“Sabi lang sakin lagi ni coach Gold [Monteverde] na maging ready ako kung gagamitin man ako or hindi. Basta kung ano lang ‘yung matutulong ko sa team pag pinasok ako, ibibigay ko ‘yung best ko,” Belmonte said during the post-game press conference.
“Ang lalim na ng roster namin, wala namang mawawala kung ibigay ko best ko tas makakatulong pa ako sa team,” he emphasized.
Having recruited many big names over the past few years, Belmonte was one that flew under the radar for UP. Despite this, the 20-year-old worked his way into Monteverde’s system, earning his spot in a stacked UP roster.
““Yung first year ko hirap na hirap ako kasi wala ako dati sa sistemang laro like bara-bara lang pero tinrabaho ko talaga, ni-learn ko paano ako makakasabay sa team, kung paano sasabayan system ni coach Gold,” Belmonte told One Sports.
“Ang nakakatuwa dito kay Mark is that I’m not sure if a lot of people know, pero you can say he’s sort of a late bloomer in terms of being in a systematic basketball type of way,” said assistant coach Christian Luanzon. “The skill, the talent obviously is there. He’s long, he’s athletic, he can shoot from the outside, and also ‘yung defense niya.”
Showing improvements since his rookie season, Belmonte admitted working on his shooting and optimizing his feel for the game during the offseason.
“Winork out ko lang lalo ‘yung shooting ko kasi ‘di naman ako masyado malaki katawan tas inimprove ko rin ‘yung paano basahin ‘yung game. Tinuruan ako ng mga coaches namin kung paaano ko basahin ‘yung game, kung paano i-counter pag ganito,” said Belmonte.
Now in his second year with UP, Belmonte has been given a bigger role at the start of Season 87, especially with fellow athletic forward Aldous Tourculas sidelined with a sprained right ankle.
“‘Yung naging adjustment niya the past few years, this is only his second second, nagging malaking bagay para samin, especially knowing that Aldous Tourculas was going to miss some games,” said Luanzon. “Malaking bagay sakin ‘yung pag-step up ni Mark at mga ibang players sa team.”
“Obviously, lahat ng mga kasama niya from the 1st to the 16th player is capable of playing, so there’s no reason for them to conserve energy when they’re inside [but] just to give their all,” he added.