Jorick Bautista’s late-game heroics, Tacky Tacatac’s rediscovered shooting form leads FEU and UST, respectively, to strong showings in round 2 of UAAP Season 87.
Clutch performances and rediscovered consistency proved to be the difference makers as FEU’s Jorick Bautista and UST’s Tacky Tacatac were named the Collegiate Press Corps UAAP Players of the Week for the period covering October 12 to October 19.
Leading their teams to identical 2-0 slates in the men’s and women’s tournaments, Bautista and Tacatac surged among the UAAP’s best as the second round of eliminations ensued.
Bautista, for his part, powered the FEU Tamaraws to a resurgent campaign in the second half of the season, winning back-to-back games via cardiac fashion. The veteran guard has become synonymous with the word clutch.
Apart from a 21-point performance in an overtime win over the Adamson Soaring Falcons last October 12, Bautista also came up with the dagger in a 17-point finish against the NU Bulldogs four days after.
Notching back-to-back wins for the first time this season, Bautista normed 19 points, five rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.5 steals.
He beat out fellow FEU teammate Mo Konateh in a close vote in the plum presented by the Philippine Sports Commission. He also edged La Salle’s Kevin Quiambao and Mike Phillips, Ateneo’s Andrew Bongo, and UP’s Francis Lopez for the citation.
After a so-so first round under new head coach Sean Chambers, Bautista is happy to finally see results for the Tamaraws.
"Sobrang saya po kasi sabi nga ni Royce (Alforque) yung mga hard work namin kung paano namin i-push yung isa’t isa sa training na ginagawa namin, paunti-unti nang nagbubunga. Sobrang sarap talaga sa feeling na makuha yung panalo," said Bautista.
Meanwhile, Tacatac reclaimed her title as a long-bomb sniper as she shot 60 percent from the three-point line in two wins for the defending champions Growling Tigresses.
Tacatac averaged 17.5 points in 20 minutes of action in wins against last year’s Final Four teams UP and Ateneo in their second round match ups.
She thus beat out NU’s Cielo Pagdulagan, FEU’s EJ Lopez, and Adamson’s Elaine Etang for the award also supported by Discovery Suites and World Balance as minor sponsors.