No rookie jitters for FEU playmaker Romeo

Far Eastern University (FEU) playmaker Terrence Romeo is playing like a seasoned veteran and not every bit a rookie in the 73rd UAAP men's basketball tournament.

The 18-year-old, playing under the bright lights of the UAAP Final Four, showed no signs of rookie jitters but rather played with nerves of steel in leading the Tamaraws to a 69-59 win over the Green Archers of De La Salle University (DLSU) to clinch the first finals berth. After a shaky start, Romeo made five of his 12 points in the overtime period, including the game's biggest shot – a three-pointer off Simon Atkins that put the Tams up at 62-59 with 2:06 to go. He earlier completed FEU's comeback in the fourth hitting a wide-open triple from the corner that tied things up at 52-all. In the extra period, he hit a tough fade away jumper that knotted the contest for the last time at 59-59 with 3:13 remaining. That pushed the Morayta-based squad, known for their string of postseason failures, to wait for the winner of the other semifinal showdown pitting defending two-time champion Ateneo de Manila University and Adamson University. Coach Glenn Capacio believes that after Romeo's performance, expect the 5-foot-10 FEU point guard to duplicate his 15-point output against Ateneo in the last game of the elimination round and would continue in the finals. "I think we'll see more of him in the finals," said Capacio, on his prized recruit from FEU's high school squad. FEU's do-it-all guard and former RP Youth team standout RR Garcia is also ecstatic with Romeo's performance. "I'm happy for (Romeo) because he played like that despite being a rookie," said Garcia, who will win the UAAP Most Valuable Player award. "Most of the rookies wouldn't perform like that but he seems to play without any pressure." "Early on, I didn't know what to do on the court because of the pressure," Romeo said. "But gladly, coach and my teammates gave me the confidence." Romeo earned a name for himself last season when he scored 83 points for FEU-Nicanor Reyes Educational Foundation in a game against University of the Philippines-Integrated School in the juniors division. That performance earned him the MVP award. However, the Baby Tamaraws failed to advance when they were knocked out by La Salle Zobel in the Final Four. This time, it was somewhat of a sweet revenge for him. "I always want to make the UAAP finals," said Romeo. "I wanted to beat La Salle because last year we lost to them in the Final Four so I'm glad to finally beat them." – JVP, GMANews.TV