La Salle’s Baclaan grateful to see up-and-down UAAP season end up with title

La Salle’s Kean Baclaan (13)

(UAAP Media Bureau)

MANILA, Philippines — After he tore his MCL, La Salle’s Kean Baclaan said he almost called it quits.

Baclaan, who served his residency year last year after transferring to the Green Archers, sustained a knee injury during the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball elimination round.

Back then, he said that he might miss the entire season especially if the team does not make it to the Final Four.

After powering through rehab and thoughts of quitting, he was able to return to the hardcourt in time.

He suited up in La Salle’s Final Four series against his former team, the National University Bulldogs, where the Green Archers successfully clawed out of a twice-to-win disadvantage to punch the ticket to the finals.

And after three grueling games, Baclaan and the rest of the Green Archers bagged the championship at the expense of rivals University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.

“Sobrang worth it lahat ng pinaghirapan namin. Sobrang speechless ako ngayon kasi hindi ko alam. Nandito lang ako noong nakaraan, nagre-rehab pa lang ako. Nasa kama lang ako, umiiyak,” he told Philstar.com.

“Alam mo yun, sobrang worth it niya dahil lahat ng pinaghirapan mo, sinuklian kahit papaano. Yung sukli na yun, sobrang laki pa. Kumbaga, once in a lifetime lang ito, parang bihira lang mangyari,” he added.

The flashy guard said that he had a hard time recovering mentally from his injury because it is actually his first.

“So, yun parang naisip ko lang na nung nasaktan ako, nung na-injury ako. Sinabi ko parang ayoko na magbasketball, blah, blah, blah. And siguro, nag-encourage lang din sa akin and nagpalakas ng loob ko, yung baby ko, family ko,” he said.

“And syempre yung teammates ko na, nagme-message sa akin. Mag-isip ng tama, na magdasal sa Panginoon,” he added.

“Yun lang, hindi namin alam na nandito kami ngayon kasi sobrang speechless. Kanina pa namin pinag-uusapan na champion ba kami, champion ba kami, blah, blah, blah. So, yun, champion nga kami.”

Baclaan is one of the marquee signings of La Salle that underwent residency last season.

Mason Amos, Luis Pablo and Jacob Cortez also all had residency years last season, and the four played big roles in helping the Taft-based squad get back on the collegiate basketball throne.

“So, sobrang saya lang dahil worth it lahat ng pagod namin, ng sakripisyo namin ni Mason [Amos] At ng whole team, management, coaches, lahat lahat.”

Amos also sustained a knee injury. He was able to return a few games before Baclaan did.

But more than his struggles on his injury and an up-and-down season, Baclaan also had to deal with detractors and naysayers.

“Actually, sabay, halos sabay kami ni Jacob [mag-transfer]. Nauna si Jacob din, right after Jacob ako. Na, parang yung bola nga, kulang sa'min. Siguro sa kanila yung kulang. Kasi kung kulang, ba't kami magcha-champion, 'di ba? So, yun, champion na kami,” he said.

“And sobrang proud ako dun sa apat na lumipat, yung nag-residency boys, Mason, Pabs, and me and Jacob. Sobrang proud ako sa kanila kasi nag-grind talaga kami para makarating dito.”

And with the championship now with them, Baclaan and the rest of the team will come back hungrier than ever.

“Kami yung apat. Babalik kami, may playing years pa kami. So, gusto namin mag-back-to-back. Siguro ngayon, mag-celebrate lang.”