UAAP: NU's Reinhard Jumamoy ready for the bright lights

Reinhard Jumamoy has been under the bright lights of the biggest basketball stages.

He was named UAAP juniors Most Valuable Player in 2023 and was one of the top-ranked high school players at the time by the National Basketball Training Center.

However, heartbreaks have often overshadowed his otherwise stellar campaigns.

In the year he was named MVP, NU Nazareth School fell to eventual champions Far Eastern University in the Final Four, ending the Bullpups’ bid for a three-peat.

When he committed to play for NU in college, the Bulldogs had their fair share of heartbreaks, too, particularly last season.

The Bulldogs seemed invincible at the start of the season, finishing the elimination round with an 11-3 record and a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four. NU, however, fell to eventual champions De La Salle University.

After that setback, it was time for the Bulldogs to move forward, with the now fourth-year Jumamoy leading the way.

“There have been high expectations for us since last year, so there's even more pressure now. Leading a young team is no easy task, especially at this stage of our careers,” Jumamoy told GMA News Online in Filipino.

“I always tell them to cherish the moments we share because we do not know if this group will still be together in the future.”

“I also remind myself that pressure is a privilege, and I grabbed it.”

He did grab it.

Last Saturday, Jumamoy drilled the game-winner to avert a Bulldogs collapse and secure a victory over the University of Santo Tomas.

While he said he had been working on that shot for a long time, he knew he had to take it when the opportunity came.

“Time was not on our side. With five seconds left, I told myself I was going to take the shot. I knew I had been working on it in practice and during my extra workouts. I just knew I had to take the shot. Luckily, thank God, it went in,” he said.

Now armed with experience and hardened by past heartbreaks, the NU team is ready to take on the bigger stage, according to Jumamoy.

“This was a test of our character and capabilities. We are a balanced team, and whenever we get the opportunity to score or contribute in other ways, we just need to shine in our respective roles,” he said.

“I told them, 'Way to go, guys,' because we still have a long season ahead. There will be more tests to come, and we must keep pushing forward and never give up.”

—JMB, GMA News