When the FEU Tamaraws needed to pull away from the creeping UE Red Warriors, the Morayta-based squad leaned on rookie Elias Gish to secure a 94-83 victory on Wednesday, November 4, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to keep their Final Four hopes in frame.
The Fresno, California, native dropped a career-high 13 points, along with 6 rebounds and 4 stocks, to usher the Tams to a 6-4 standing as the UAAP Season 89 Men’s Basketball Tournament elimination round nears its end.
The 6-foot-7 guard underscored the importance of committing to different roles assigned by coaches to help the team materialize wins and remains poised to stay consistent following his best outing in college ball so far.
“I’m just playing my role, honestly. Whatever coach tells me what to do, that’s my role, and I executed today. I just gotta be consistent every game, keep getting reps in… It’s my role to help the team and do whatever coach needs to execute that,” Gish said.
Gish Continues to Adjust to Philippine Basketball
With the Tamaraws looking to end a five-year playoff drought, head coach Sean Chambers lauded Gish’s potential to bolster FEU’s core in the future, despite the former Gilas Youth guard seeing limited action for the team throughout the summer.
“He’s only played probably twenty games with us, and he just turned 18 in January. He is such a phenomenal talent… He’s ready, he needs to start getting more responsibility… Great job from him today, and I expect him to continue to do great things,” Chambers said of Gish.
Gish also touched on his continued adjustments to the Philippine basketball scene and remains focused on continuing to find his groove as he logs more games in the UAAP.
“For me, it’s all about adapting to everything here, especially the system and the league in general. It’s nothing I’m used to at all compared to back in the States. I’m just trying to get comfortable, in the flow of everything, how the league is… It’s just on me to just keep focusing, being locked in… trying to be consistent every game I play,” Gish said.
Gish and the Tamaraws will look to remain hot when they face the UST Growling Tigers on Sunday, November 8.
