Small Guy with a Big Heart
By Paolo Mariano
26 July 2009 11:45 AM
“Substitution. Emman Monfort for Jai Reyes.”
As soon as veteran coliseum barker Rolly Manlapaz ebulliently announce the entry of Emmanuel Nicolau Monfort, the hordes of die-hard Ateneo fans instantly scream their lungs out in support for the diminutive guard.
While he may not have the seemingly demigod status of a Chris Tiu, Monfort has slowly become one of the more loved players of the Blue Eagles. What’s not to love? The spitfire court general is having a career season and he’s proving that he truly belongs to the UAAP after being relegated to Ateneo’s Team B last year.
Bluer than blue
With more experienced and more heralded guards like Reyes, Yuri Escueta, and Macky Escalona in tow for the Blue Eagles, Monfort found it almost impossible to get playing time in his first two seasons.
After being ousted by archrival De La Salle University in the 2007 Final Four, the Ateneo staff went back to the drawing board and evaluated the returning players for Season 71. Unfortunately for Monfort, the team decided to drop him to Team B. He finished 2007 with measly averages of 3.3 PPG, 1.3 RPG, and 1.1 APG in 9.8 minutes per outing.
But instead of feeling completely dejected and doubting his talent, the recruit from Ateneo de Iloilo High School took the demotion in stride.
“Hindi ko tinanggap bilang negative (situation) ‘yung pagpunta ko sa Team B,” Monfort said. “Naging mas mabuti pa nga kasi na-improve ko ‘yung point guard skills ko.”
Making up for lost time
Despite starring for Team B in various tournaments, Monfort was still initially not part of Ateneo’s Team A plans this season. Little did he know that the basketball gods have an entirely different plan for him. A few weeks before the start of Season 72, senior Mike Baldos was ruled ineligible due to his academics. Fate flashed its smile on the 20-year-old Monfort as he was tapped to fill in the vacated roster spot.
He may be a last-minute replacement to the Blue Eagles, but Monfort is spending heavy minutes on the court this season with his sharp and steady play. He is now reaping what he patiently sowed during his Team B stint. He has earned the trust of head coach Norman Black as he is usually the first or second guy to come off the bench.
“Emman is doing really well. He’s giving us a big lift off the bench. He brings energy and hustle to the table and his outside shooting really helps us,” Black said.
Four games into the young season, Monfort is averaging career numbers of 8.5 PPG, 3.5 PPG, and 1.3 APG in 16.0 quality minutes.
Height is not always might
At 5’6”, Monfort is the smallest guy in the league today along with Mike Gamboa of the University of the Philippines. But similar to other pintsized Blue Eagle guards before him like former UAAP MVP Jun Reyes and Epok Quimpo, Monfort is proving to every naysayer that height is just a number.
“Pinapakita ko sa lahat na may lugar kaming maliliit sa basketball,” said Monfort, who looks up to another small general in Johnny Abarrientos.
Last July 19, Monfort truly showed that he has a place in the supposedly big man’s game. He sizzled with a career-high 20 points on an impressive 6-of-9 shooting from three-point area to carry the Blue Eagles past the Growling Tigers, 93-77. He also included five rebounds and two assists to cap off his inspired performance.
Spreading his wings
Although he has played brilliantly this season, Monfort does not let his sudden popularity get into his head. He attentively listens to his coaches and modestly acknowledges his mistakes. He prefers to dribble by his lonesome during warm-ups and is usually the first guy to greet and high five his teammates during timeouts.
“Emman is a great teammate. He works hard on practice and does what he’s supposed to do. He has adjusted well (to his role) and it shows in his output this year,” Reyes said of his backcourt ally.
The expectations are obviously high for the Blue Eagles this season as they try to win back-to-back titles for the first time since 1987-1988, when players like Reyes, Olsen Racela, Danny Francisco, and Jayvee Gayoso still donned the white and blue.
While the team will undoubtedly face difficult hurdles in their quest, Monfort is confident that they have what it takes to repeat.
“Maganda ang sistema namin. Magaling ang mga coach namin at alam kong gagawin ng teammates ko ang lahat para mag-champion ulit kami,” Monfort said.
His one-year stint with Team B taught him a lot of things—not just about basketball but life in general. Now that he is back with Team A, Monnfort is hoping that all of the hard-earned lessons will not go for naught as he spreads his tiny blue wings yet again. He may only be 5-foot-6 but he truly has the resilience and heart of a 12-footer.
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