University of the East’s Wello Lingolingo against Ateneo de Manila University in UAAP Season 88. Photo from UAAP Media.MANILA — While Wello Lingolingo’s return was spoiled by yet another loss from University of the East in UAAP Season 88, his presence remained valuable for the skidding Red Warriors.
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“That’s my partner in crime. I missed my brother,” said UE captain John Abate of Lingolingo who fired 19 points in their 74-78 defeat to Ateneo de Manila University on Wednesday.
Abate shared that Lingolingo remained productive while serving his three-game suspension.
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Aside from dealing with the consequences of his actions, Lingolingo also used that chance to mentor their younger guys and aid their scouting team.
“He definitely learned how to be more of a vocal leader,” said Abate, who is co-captain alongside Lingolingo and Precious Momowei.
“He helped players who were getting less playing time, and on and off the court, he has stepped up more,” added Abate.
The Red Warriors fell short of converting these into their elusive first win, but Lingolingo’s return still opens positive possibilities as they face their last four games of the year.
“It definitely hurts to not be in contention anymore, but playing with Wello and my brothers is something that I always look forward to,” said Abate.
And in those matches, UE’s focus now is playing spoiler as the race to the Final 4 spot heats up.
“I feel like we've been doing that all season long, but we definitely have more chip on our shoulder, ending the season with a win,” said Abate.
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