Nic Cabañero rode out rough patches through the years with the UST Growling Tigers and is now in his last year of eligibility in the UAAP.
There’s nothing like seeing years of hard work pay off for Nic Cabañero as the UST Growling Tigers vie for the crown in UAAP Season 88 against defending champions UP Fighting Maroons.
Facing off against their rivals in the Final Four on Wednesday, December 3, Cabañero hopes to be a beacon of hope for other players that are going through tough times in collegiate basketball.
In his first three years in UST, it was tough for Cabañero as he endured losing seasons.
But after breaking through to the semis last year, and now with a chance to go even further, the 5th year player knows that there’s always something good at the end of the tunnel.
[READ:
UAAP Final Four: Resilient UST Growling Tigers hope to buck tall odds for long-awaited title]
“Excited lang ako kasi, on my last year, sobrang hirap ng pinagdaanan ko sa UST and I do hope I’ll continue to involve my fellow basketball players in the future na being loyal, bukod sa pagiging loyal mo, may masusuklian ka talaga and process lahat to,” Cabañero said.
The España cager is in his final year of eligibility for the Growling Tigers, and with dreams of lifting up the championship trophy, he wants to be able to repay the trust of all those who believed in him during his stay in the Tigers’ den.
“Grateful talaga ako sa UST community, sa family ko, sa teammates ko and the coaches kasi sila nag-guide sakin, nag-push sakin to be better lalo na sa basketball… I don’t know, with those simple gestures, lifting up my teammates, nakakatuwa lang din,” he said.
Out to beat the odds
Even though the Growling Tigers are well in the mix of competing for the title, there is still much work to be done — especially with defending champions UP standing in their way.
But at the end of the day, Cabañero is confident that whatever happens, they will have someone ever reliable having their backs: the UST community.
Having gone through the ups and downs this season and in previous years, Cabañero is a witness to how they stay faithful to the team and continue to support them regardless of what happens. At the end of the day, he and the rest of the team are playing for the name on the front — not on the back.
“Super grateful, kasi win or lose, nandiyan pa rin 'yung UST community,” he said.
UST tussles with UP at the Big Dome to begin their Final Four clash. The Growling Tigers hope to force a winner-take-all Game 2.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.