MANILA – With National University badly needing a basket against University of Santo Tomas on Sunday, they turned to one of the youngest members of their team.
Clinging to a 57-56 lead with under five minutes left, NU rookie Dave Ildefonso wound up sparking an 8-2 run that gave the Bulldogs a more comfortable 65-58 advantage with less than three minutes to go.
He had a bucket in transition as well as a 3-point play in the run: in both instances, he overpowered fellow rookie CJ Cansino of UST to get to the hoop.
The Bulldogs would go on to win 69-61 to improve to 3-6 in the men’s basketball tournament.
Afterward, the 18-year-old Ildefonso would admit that playing against Cansino – one of the top contenders for Rookie of the Year honors in Season 81 – definitely fired him up.
“He does really bring out the best in me,” said Ildefonso of their matchup.
The former Ateneo Blue Eaglet finished with 16 points, four rebounds and three assists, despite playing just under 23 minutes because of foul trouble.
It was just the latest in a series of strong performances for Ildefonso, who is averaging 15.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a rookie.
There have been some subpar performances from the forward, to be sure. But for the most part, Ildefonso has been playing with a maturity that belies his young age.
“That’s my role e,” said Ildefonso. “Beyond my years iyong laro – I can’t show that I’m 18 years old.”
“I have to show them that I’m more mature than what is on paper. I have to really attack more para ma-open iyong … mas maka-create ako at mas makapasa ako sa ibang teammates ko,” he added.
For NU head coach Jamike Jarin, having a player of Ildefonso’s caliber is a tremendous luxury – even as he makes it clear that the rookie’s success remains dependent on his teammates.
“We all saw what he did,” Jarin said. “He made the crucial baskets. But if Troy (Rike) wasn’t sealing, or if Troy wasn’t in the right position, he won’t be making those shots. Again, it is always a collective effort.”
“But, of course, having a Dave Ildefonso, an 18-year-old that can dominate like that, well, I just looked good there, ’di ba,” he added.
Ildefonso and the Bulldogs return to action on Saturday when they take on defending champion Ateneo de Manila University. (ABS-CBN News)
