Padrigao relishing chance to play for Blue Eaglets

MANILA, Philippines – Forthsky Padrigao was activated by Ateneo Blue Eaglets coach Joe Silva in place of Dave Ildefonso for the 2018 SM-NBTC National Finals, and the playmaker relished the opportunity to play with the team that recently copped the UAAP Juniors trophy.

The Blue Eaglets pummeled Ormoc City National High School, 98-47, on the tournament’s opening day, which netted them a slot in the Sweet 16.

“I’m so happy to be able to play again with my teammates,” said Padrigao, who prior to going to Adamson in his first year for high school was studying in Ateneo de Zamboanga.

The Batang Gilas point guard transferred to Ateneo at the end of Season 79. “If I remember correctly, the last time I was able to play with them was in the summer of 2017. Adding to this, I am also excited to compete against the best teams in the country and play with Kai again. How I was I was a part of the Season 80 team of Ateneo.”

Although Padrigao scored only one point in Ateneo’s maiden game ever in the SM-NBTC National Finals (they never participated in any of the in-season tournaments and even if they did qualify, they opted not to as by UAAP season’s end, they had to catch up with studies and prepare for graduation), his impact was clearly felt with his savvy court vision.

Padrigao was also a teammate of Sotto’s as well as Blue Eaglet center Geo Chiu in last year’s Seaba gold medal-winning team. The three will once more be teammates for the upcoming FIBA U16 Asian Championships in Foshan, China from April 2-8.

Padrigao finished with one point, one rebound, three assists and one steal versus one turnover in 16 minutes of play.

“I wasn’t nervous,” he said of his debut with Ateneo (Forthsky most recently participated in the Breakdown Basketball tournament with some of the players aspiring to move up to the Eaglets’ ranks for Season 81). “I was just excited. I didn’t think about the win regardless of the score. Ang habol namin talaga is yung good habits that we can learn as a player and as a team.”

The Blue Eaglets will be gutted by this season’s end as 11 players are graduating. The only holdovers will be Sotto, Chiu, Jed Diaz, Daniel David, and Joaquin Jaymalin. Along with Padrigao, they will be the only players with UAAP experience.

“For me (and the holdovers), it’s another period of adjustment because of all the new teammates,” summed up Padrigao. “But I am confident enough that we can work things out. A little bit more of practice so we can build that chemistry.”

The Ateneo Blue Eaglets take on AusPinoy Australia, which proved to be a bit too much for defending SM-NBTC Division 2 champions, Assumption School of Montessori of Cagayan De Oro as they won 86-79 last Monday, March 19.

Ateneo and AusPinoy Australia clash at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Mall of Arena in Pasay City.