By NIKOLE JAVIER
Cyril Gonzales repaid the trust given to him by coach Goldwin Monteverde and helped lift University of the Philippines to a vengeful 75-63 win over National University in the UAAP Season 85 on Sunday.
Given the opportunity to shine, Gonzales did not disappoint.
He was actually a joy to watch after scattering 15 points highlighted by three booming triples as the Maroons finally got back at first round tormentor.
In all, Gonzales finished with a decent 6-of-11 shooting, enough to earn him raves from almost everybody, including Monteverde.
Down by 11 in the first half, the Fighting Maroons fought hard to slowly close the gap with Zavier Lucero beating the buzzer with a triple, 40-37.
The game took a turn for UP once Gonzales got on the floor midway through the third quarter until the final minute of the contest where he capped their 13-0 blast in the regulation with another three-pointer followed by a layup.
“Sa totoo lang, Cyril naman ever since before alam ko naman ‘yong capability niya. I think he was given that moment din to show kung anong kaya niya. Lahat naman kami ‘yong tiwala namin sa kanya malaki,” said UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde.
“So, sa akin I’m really happy the way he played noong fourth quarter.”
The 6-foot guard Gonzales, in return, was supremely happy with the chance to prove his worth, saying: “Parang binibigyan ko ng halaga ‘yong tiwala ni coach. Ginagawa ko ‘yong role ko sa team. Kung ano man mangyari, turn ng game buo pa rin kami. May tiwala si coach sa akin, may tiwala rin ako sa ipapagawa niya sa akin.”
For sure, Gonzales’s big role in UP’s vengeful win over NU will be worth re-telling.
