Jaybie Mantilla makes rousing debut for UP Fighting Maroons in Taiwan tourney

MANILA, Philippines — Newly minted UP cager Jaybie Mantilla made immediate impact in his first game with the Fighting Maroons in the Buddha's Light International Association (BLIA) Cup in Taiwan on Tuesday.

The former CESAFI MVP finished with 11 points and eight rebounds off the bench in his State U debut against National Taiwan Sports University. 

Mantilla, who will be a one-and-done player for the Fighting Maroons this UAAP season 82, had mixed feelings going into his first game for UP.

"Yung game ko kanina, happy and excited ako pero may halong kaba. Pero kung ano yung dati kong mga ginagawa sa Cebu yun lang pinapakita ko," Mantilla said in an interview yesterday.

Adjusting to his new role on a new team, the Cebuano standout is simply making the most of the time he has on the court.

"May mga adjustment din ako, lalo na sa mga system na pinapagawa ni Coach. Sa akin lang, go hard all the time... Kahit limited yung minutes ko, quality naman," Mantilla said.

Mantilla joins an already stacked lineup of recruits for the Fighting Maroons that include big names like Ricci Rivero and Kobe Paras.

But performances like this may just turn heads in Mantilla's direction and what he can bring to the table for the UP squad.

With his UAAP debut looming in the next couple of months, Mantilla says to expect him to play like he always has.

"You can expect me to go hard all the time at papakita ko talaga kung ano yung laro ko," he said.