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MANILA, Philippines – When Prince Rivero was a kid, he had two jackets to choose from. One was blue, the other was green. He loved basketball from a young age. Adored the game more than anything. And in front of him were pieces of clothing that just happened to represent two of the most successful programs in Philippine college basketball history.
“Actually, when I was a kid, we bought jackets of La Salle and Ateneo, and back then I was like, ‘Damn, this jacket is so nice. I don’t even want to let my brothers borrow it from me,’” recalled Rivero with a playful laug as he reminisced on days of a more innocent time to Rappler.
Take note: he said jacket. He could have easily altered between both blue and green on different occasions - something that would have been totally understandable for a young basketball aficionado.
“The La Salle jacket before was Adidas pa,” he laughed as he remembered why he made the choice of green over blue - a decision he made later in his life as well, albeit with higher stakes on the line.
“I always wore it and I didn’t imagine I was going to play for La Salle, until one day I left NU (high school), then the opportunity came in. Boss Danding [Cojuangco] helped me play for La Salle (high school). [It’s a] dream come true. Sobrang dream come true,” he said as he shaked his head, like he still couldn’t believe it was transpiring.
Well, it has. Whenever Rivero wears the name La Salle on his chest, he says that there’s no feeling that makes him more proud. He still sees himself as that kid who wanted nothing more than to play basketball, and when you watch him on the court, it definitely seems like it.
He’s always full of energy. He’s quick to the ball. He’s willing to dive to the floor for an extra possession. He laughs at some mistakes he makes. He celebrates even the simplest of accomplishments of his own or of his teammates with joy.
It reminds you of a time when you were a kid and all that mattered was the game at your local village park. No strings attached. No pressure from the screams of thousands of fans. Just basketball.
But here’s another reality: Prince Rivero was always good at the game. So much so that both the Blue Eagles and Green Archers came calling to attain his UAAP services. He chose to go to Taft and had a solid freshman season. In his second year, he’s already displayed a substantial amount of improvement.
How much? Enough where you’re confident enough to say that he’ll be a household name in the UAAP sooner than later.
“He’s really matured from last year, skills-wise and at the same time, lumalabas yung pagka-leader niya (he’s becoming a leader) and his drive to win, it’s different this year,” says Jeron Teng, the Green Archers’ current leader and best player.
“Prince is really a tough guy,” explains Thomas Torres, one of the veterans of the team. “Prince, he wants to challenge himself. Gusto niya, even though kalaban niya is bigger than him (even if the guy he’s facing is bigger), he doesn’t care.”
Improved stats
Rivero’s numbers have improved from 4.3 points and 3.8 rebounds last year to 8.6 points and 7.1 rebounds a game this season. He’s also shooting 55% from the field. His minutes have more than doubled. He’s a much-bigger threat on the floor, whether it’s in the low block, scavenging for offensive rebounds and put backs, rebounding, or just doing the little things that help a team win.
His 5-4 Green Archers have won 4 of their last 6 games and he’s a major reason why. In his last 4 outings, he’s recorded at least 8 points and 6 rebounds, which is made more impressive when you realize he’s a 6-foot-3 big man that goes up against larger and lengthier imports on a game-by-game basis.
His versatility is what makes him so integral for DLSU. He’s such a good rebounder that DLSU head coach Juno Sauler can play him at the 5 as a small-ball center. When Jason Perkins is in, he can slide to the 4. In rare occasions, he can even play the 3.
Having such an arsenal of skills is one thing, but confidence is another. It’s something Rivero lacked a bit in his rookie season, despite the string of promising performances he put up. That’s not an issue this year, and it owes to him being himself during the offseason: working hard as often as he can.
“I’ve been working with my dad and (assistant coach) Coach Marlon [Celis],” said Rivero, who cut out carbohydrates and sugar from his diet during the offseason to get in peak shape.
“Sometimes before practice I work with Coach Marlon, I do extra workouts for the wingman players, then after training I do workouts with my dad. I do workouts for the big guys. It helped me in my versatility so I can play both outside and inside.”
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Those countless hours in the gym have more than just educated him on what moves to use on the court. It’s also given him belief that he can take on anyone in college basketball and put the ball in the hole. It’s made him fearless, and a fearless Prince Rivero is always a sight to watch.
If you observe closely enough, you’ll notice the specifics. When he gets the ball in the post, his ability to spin to either his right or left and accelerate to the basket is second to none in UAAP basketball. He’s no longer intimidated by the prospect of driving to the rim from the perimeter. When he sees a much-taller defender impeding his path to the rim, Rivero’s more than willing to use his huge frame and bang bodies in mid air. It’s no accident he’s already attempted 31 free throws this season - already two more than last year.
“Like in exams, if you study hard, you know you’re going to pass the exam. Whatever the teacher puts there, for sure you’re going to pass because you studied,” Rivero said about the importance of his preparation. “It’s like planting - if you plant a seed, you know someday you’ll get something from it.”
“For me, bagay sakanya yung‘hardwork beats talent’. He has the talent… talagang shinasharpen pa niya yung mga skills na pwede niya gawin. Kahit undersized siya, wala siyang pakialam, kasi tingin niya kaya niya, and yun yung okay kay Prince,” said Torres.
(For me, the saying “hardwork beats talent suits him. He has the talent… he sharpens whatever skills he can do. Even if he’s undersized, he doesn’t care, because he feels he can do it, and that’s what’s good about Prince.)
“Coach Juno, right now, he gave me a responsibility to be inside the court and to help my team,” said Rivero.
In many ways, the improvement on his game came via necessity after DLSU suddenly needed him to take a heavier burden entering UAAP Season 78.
La Salle lost Arnold Van Opstal to injury just before the season started. Norbert Torres was gone after playing all his 5 years of eligibility in 2014. The anticipated arrival of Ben Mbala was postponed after he got on a plane to General Santos.
Abu Tratter’s development hasn’t come along as fast as expected. Jason Perkins hasn’t been the dynamic scorer he was in the past two seasons. Add all of those elements, plus the 9 new rookies of the team, and the 20-year-old Rivero has suddenly been required to mature quicker and produce more than usual for a sophomore.
“When I was a rookie, I helped my teammates when I was sitting on the bench. I helped them, I gave them the energy they needed, I told them, ‘Hey, guys, let’s not give up. It hasn’t end yet. There’s no buzzer yet,’” he said.
“But now… I’ve been playing a little bit more minutes than last [year], so I help them inside the court and when I’m outside, I help them also.”
So far, the increased responsibility and exposure to the UAAP spotlight - which is always more apparent when you wear the green-and-white colors of La Salle - hasn’t frightened him. It’s only made him better.
Why’s that? Well, for starters, he’s absolutely enjoying every second he spends out there on the court and not taking it for granted. What's the saying? Enjoy the game every second you play and the wins will pile up.
“Dream come true,” he said, “because when I was a kid, I didn’t even realize I’m going to play for La Salle.”
His progress has put him in the path of one day becoming a star in the UAAP, and he’s not oblivious to it, although he has another task that he feels he first needs to accomplish before taking the responsibility of being La Salle’s main guy.
“Star, siguro medyo hindi, pero leader tatangapin ko yung responsibility, kasi sobrang konti lang nung players na leader these days,” said the La Salle Greenhills standout.
(Being a star, maybe not, but I’ll take the responsibility of being a leader, because there are so little of those nowadays.)
“Cause, siguro natatakot (maybe they’re scared) or they don’t want na sumama yung loob nung teammates nila sakanila (their teammates to feel bad). All the leader wants for his team is for them to be together and for them to make an impact as a team, whatever it takes.”
Right now, Rivero doesn’t need to worry much about that leadership role with Teng and Torres making sure to keep the team in order. But both are already in their fourth years and by 2017, will have moved on to whatever they decide to do post college. Maybe it’s the PBA. Maybe it’s in the entertainment field.
But wherever they end up, the two are confident they’re leaving their team in good hands.
“Pag nag-graduate na kami ni Jeron (when Jeron and I graduate) - well, matagal, tagal pa naman (still going to take some time), two years pa - pero (but) it’s going to be in good hands,” Torres said about Rivero.
“Not only Prince,” said Teng, who’s considered as the team’s King Archer. “Even the rookies now, I can see leadership in them. The future is bright.”
Teng is correct. That future is bright, especially when the team has a big-time star that’s on the rise. A star who’s already showed the traits of being a leader of men. Or in this case, college boys. A star who’s going to be a bonafide MVP candidate in his final few seasons.
But most of all, a star who revels every second he spends wearing the jersey of the school whose jacket he chose as his at a young age.
“I’ll keep on working, I’ll keep improving each day, ever training, every moment, because who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow or the next time, right?” said Rivero.
“So I’m not going to have any regrets in my life, and then hopefully yung improvement ko tuloy-tuloy (my improvement continues to progress) lang, mag mature ako as a player, as a teammate, as an individual and hopefully I can help my teammates from there.”
Teng and Torres are right.
La Salle seems to be in good hands. – Rappler.com
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