It has been years since the Lasallian community saw Robert Bolick don the Green-and-White in their successful 2013 UAAP Men’s Basketball Championship run. After a less-than-stellar stint the following season, Bolick did not return, citing a spiteful departure from the team. Instead, the six-foot-one guard moved to San Beda College (SBC), where he would prove to be a vital component to another championship team, this time in the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA).
Under his current team, Bolick showed signs of his true potential since being a highly touted recruit from La Salle Green Hills (LSGH), recently being awarded the Most Valuable Player in this year’s PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup. Now in the FilOil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup, Bolick squared off with his former team, the DLSU Green Archers. In a battle between the most recent champions of the NCAA and UAAP, the Red Lions came away with an 82-80 win. Bolick scorched his former team, finishing with 27 points, nine rebounds, and six assists.
After the game, Bolick, visibly elated, was quick to credit his teammates for his resurgence. “Nagpapasalamat talaga ako sa San Beda na ganito na ako. So kahit ano naman naabot ko, hindi ito dahil sa akin, dahil sa teammates ko. Sa lahat ng management sa San Beda, credit to them. Nagpapasalamat na nandito nako.”
(I am very thankful to San Beda for putting me in the position that I am in now. Regardless of what I have achieved, it is because of my teammates. I give credit to the entire management of San Beda.)
When asked about how it felt like playing against La Salle, the San Beda standout was candid about how the preseason game meant a little more to him.
“As a team, gusto namin i-prove na kami ang pinakamalakas na team. Ma-pride rin. Sila yung UAAP champions, kami naman sa NCAA. Para sa akin, gusto ko mapatunayan na mali sila na pinaalis nila ako.” Furthermore, he said, “Kahit sino naman, pag pinapa-alis ka sa trabaho, gusto mo na ma-prove sa kanila na so yun yung gusto ko mangyari ngayon.”
(As a team, we wanted to prove that we are the stronger team. It was about pride with them being the UAAP champions and us being the NCAA champions. Speaking for myself, I wanted to prove that they [DLSU] were wrong in cutting me. Whoever is in my situation would want to prove something, and that is what I wanted to do in the moment.)
