(Growling Tiger Kyle Suarez cheering amidst the Green Archers, in their previous match.)
October 3, 2015, 11:47a.m. – FROM ED Daquioag’s heroic rise to Kevin Ferrer’s emergence as the new King Tiger, the UST Growling Tigers always have something up their sleeve in the UAAP.
Against De La Salle’s Green Archers, Kyle Suarez was the new revelation.
After an atrocious season with the University of the Philippines and sitting out last year due to the one-year residency rule, Suarez finally found his footing in the collegiate league as he torched La Salle with his torrid shooting.
The Ateneo de Manila University high school alumnus helped anchor the Tigers’ 14-point comeback, goin three of three from beyond the arc.
Suarez was playing his best game with a career high nine points, topping his 2.8 points average in UP two years back. But things went awry this year as he went down in an apparent left knee injury in a defensive play against Jeron Teng.
“Nag-numb [knees ko] tapos parang may nag-twist pero wala naman ako narinig na nag-pop. Humiga lang ako then I started praying: ‘Wag naman sana ulit. Wag naman sana ulit’,” Suarez told the Varsitarian.
The initial assessment was a calf sprain. His doctor said it could be a “meniscus sprain, [while] the worst case scenario would be a tear.”
Test results would be released Saturday morning.
This was Suarez’s third injury, all non-contact, following two ACL injuries on both knees. His left knee got injured last December in a pre-season game and just got back to training last July.
“Pag-uwi ko ng night na yun, kinuwestiyon ko ‘yung nangyayari. Bakit pa ako gagaling sa injury kung mangyayari lang ulit?” he said, but remained positive and left his fate to the Lord. “He has his own reasons and I just trust Him.”
Asked if he is prepared to become UST’s new outside gunner, Suarez remained humble, pointing to veterans Ferrer, Daquioag and Kareem Abdul as the team’s offensive powerhouses.
However, Suarez is prepared to provide a spark off the bench.
“Every day, I’m ready to be sent off the bench. I’ll shoot if I have to. I’ll shoot if I’m told to.” John Chester P. Fajardo
