(Part of a series)

UAAP basketball is more exciting and colorful because of the players who battle it out on the hardcourt for the glory of their respective teams. These guys stood up to the challenge of representing their schools, devoting long hours to training, pushing their bodies to the limit, pouring their hearts out. Fullcourtfresh honors them through this as-told-to special, relaying their tales of triumph and defeat, passion and determination, and dreams and resilience. Here are the young guns, the imports, the veterans, the new blood, the heartthrobs, and the standouts that made this season extraordinary for the country’s premier collegiate basketball league. Presenting: THE UAAP CLASS OF 2011. Compiled by Ericka Alcantara, Kat Angco, and Vyn Radovan

The Dynamic Duos

FEU’s RR Garcia and Terrence Romeo and UST’s Jeric Teng and Jeric Fortuna share what makes their tandems tick.

RR Garcia on Terrence Romeo

Si Terrence magaling na player. Pareho laro namin. Nagtutulungan kami. Pag maganda pinakita niya sinusuportahan ko siya at ganun din pag maganda laro ko kaya maganda yung tandem namin.

Our tandem started last year kasi galing siya FEU-FERN. Nung una, mahiyain siya at bihira siya lumapit samin. Sabi ko wag siya mahiya kasi pareho naman tayong player dito. Open ka dapat saming lahat. Medyo hirap siya mag-adjust samin kasi nung high school siya lang yung gumagawa. Pagdating sa college, hirap siya pag wala siyang bola. Pero natuto rin siya.

The first things I taught him, siguro yung pano maglelead sa team, pano dalhin yung team. For example, when it comes to plays, yung ano dapat gawin. Siguro kung ano yung napapakita ko sa team ginagaya niya. Di kami nagkakanya pagdating sa game. Sabi ni coach dapat wag solohin yung team. Kung ano yung system, gawin namin.

Off court, close kami kasi pareho kami Bisaya. Pag mag bonding, minsan may dinner kami, sometimes we’re with our teammates. Pero hindi naman sa kaming dalawa lang. Halos lahat kami sa team close.

Terrence Romeo on RR Garcia

Tinatanong ko kay RR kung ano yung mga dapat kong gawin. Kagaya pag crucial, nagpapaadvise ako. Nakakapagsuggest naman siya and nabibigyan ko ng idea ang sarili ko kung ano ang dapat kong gawin.

Off court, medyo close kami. Minsan magkasama kami umaalis. Minsan naman, wala, kumakain lang kami. Sa court, nagbabasahan lang kami sa isa’t isa. Kapag sino yung mainit samin sinusuportahan namin yung isa’t isa para mas malaki yung maitulong sa team.

There are times na minsan late kami makipagpasahan so dapat talagang makita naming yung isa’t isa. Sa tingin ko maimprove lang namin yung pareho kaming maging leader sa loob ng court tsaka pareho kaming madistribute yung bola ng maayos tapos makapagpasahan din kami ng maayos sa isat isa.

Yung pinakamagandang lesson na naturo niya sakin yung pagiging patient. Sobrang pasensiyoso nun. Kahit na tumitira ka sa loob ng court binabatan mo di ka babawian. Low-profile lang siya. Yun yung di ko makuha hanggang ngayon. Pinagaaralan ko pa.

The Jeric Duo

Teng talks about Fortuna

I have been with Jeric for three years already. We are both hardworking and we both hate losing. While I bring toughness, he brings coordination to the team. We see to it that we improve as a team and get to where we want to be.

Off court, we are both jolly and love to crack jokes. Since we are both veterans, we just help the team by teaching the new ones how it is like in the UAAP, so I guess leadership.

We don’t have disagreements because we always see to it that we talk things out and do what’s best for the team.

We have to be more consistent next season. I am confident we can do that if we just work harder and be more matured as players.

Fortuna talks about Teng

I came first in 2008. Jeric Teng entered in 2009. Since Ababou and Mirza already graduated, we were considered the veterans.

We really had to step up because we were more seasoned and our other teammates were younger than us. We thought, if we don’t step up how are they going to follow our example?

So we just took the initiative. We have our roles. I just do what coach wants me to do. If open, I take the shot. It’s simple.

Off court, we’re all actually close. But since Teng and I are both in Commerce we always see each other, along with Camus and the others. We all hang out a lot.