Green Archer Norbert Torres sacrifices graduation rites for UAAP glory

Hours before the final game of the UAAP men's basketball competition, DLSU held its 168th commencement exercises. One player expected to march was Green Archers center Norbert Torres, but with DLSU on the verge of winning its first UAAP men's basketball title since 2007, the big man ditched the graduation cap for the chance of claiming the UAAP crown.

The Fil-Canadian struggled with just one point in his team's overtime win against UST, but his presence in the paint translated into four rebounds, a steal and a block.

As the confetti fell, igniting the Lasallian celebration, Torres was handed a graduation cap by a DLSU photographer. The big man beamed as he put it on.

"It was great. Also having the accomplishment of graduating, having that feeling for about ten seconds wearing the hat was good enough for me."

Torres knew beforehand that he might just miss the important ceremony.

"[I knew] a week before," Torres said. "It was sad on my part; I really wanted to attend coz its a big accomplishment for me, but you have to make sacrifices for that."

"It was worth it."

"The Bear" waited a long while to get here, leaving his hometown Toronto to serve his residency, before suiting up for the Archers in 2011.

"[It's] surreal," Torres said. "I couldn't believe what was really happening. Waiting that long, [I was] just happy really." - AMD, GMA News