No pressure for Terrence Fortea in UP, says mentor Bo Perasol

Terrence Fortea should have zero pressure when he starts donning the maroon and white colors.

His new coach, Bo Perasol, said that while the former NU Bullpup is expected by many to fill the huge void left by Kobe Paras and other key players, he won't need to carry all the load as he’ll get solid support from his peers.

Still, with Fortea in the fore, Perasol said the school’s battlecry of UP Fight could be at its loudest when UAAP resumes.

“No pressure for him,” Perasol said of Fortea in a message to GMA News Online.

“He will play alongside very good teammates.”

Fortea is the latest addition to a strong offseason haul for State U.

No less than Cavite governor and Fighting Maroons patron Johnvic Remulla revealed the development, saying that Fortea had given his commitment to UP to bolster their bid to keep the school in the upper echelon of college hoops.

“Terrence Fortea has committed to us so you will really see that the core of the team going to the next three to five years will really be solid," the official said in an interview on the King and Ian Podcast Sunday.

Fortea, who was a key cog in NU’s dominance in the junior division after leading the school to two consecutive titles in Season 82, will join a rejigged roster led by holdover Ricci Rivero and other recruits in CJ Cansino, RC Calimag and former NU teammates Carl Tamayo and Gerry Abadiano.

The 6-foot-1 budding cager averaged 15.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in his last season with the Sampaloc-based school. He also powered the country in various international tournaments like the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Asia Cup where the Philippines placed fourth.

He was also part of the national team that competed in the 2018 Under-18 World Cup in Argentina as well as the 2019 Under-19 World Cup in Greece, where they wound up in 14th spot.

With a bevy of talent at his disposal, Perasol is keeping his fingers crossed that the troika of Fortea, Tamayo and Abadiano can carry their winning tradition once they all suit up for the Fighting Maroons.

The trio will help Perasol in trying to end a long championship dry spell of 35 years in UAAP men's basketball tournament.

“It makes sense for Terrence to want to play alongside his former teammates,” said the noted tactician.

“We are all hoping that they could carry with them the championship spirit that they have.” —JMB, GMA News