MANILA, Philippines – Overshadowed by the struggles of University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons in their UAAP Season 81 game against Far Eastern University (FEU) on Sunday was the breakout game of veteran forward Javi Gomez de Liano.

Javi, the older brother of reigning UAAP Rookie of the Year Juan Gomez de Liano, spent most of the past season playing in the shadow of his explosive sibling. But with Juan struggling with his shot against the Tamaraws, it was Javi who stepped up to help the Fighting Maroons get back in the game.

The forward dropped eight of his team-high 15 points in the second quarter, which saw UP come to within six points of FEU, 37-31. Javi nailed two triples in the frame, while also showcasing his versatility on the defensive end.

"They wanted to see me play defense on the court," Javi said after the game. "I guess that was the key for me playing longer minutes today. I was making my shots din."

Unfortunately for UP, Javi's best game of the season was not enough to propel them to victory. The Tamaraws put the shackles on Juan, Paul Desiderio, and Bright Akhuetie en route to an 89-73 triumph, sending the Maroons to a second consecutive loss.

• READ: FEU outclasses UP in wire-to-wire win

Still, a strong performance from the older Gomez de Liano brother is something to be happy about for UP, especially as Javi entered the game averaging just 7.5 points and 1.0 rebound per contest.

"As a bench player naman, you always have to be ready," he said. "So when the coaches call your name, you have to show up lang naman. That's basically it."

"We had a rough start, so our bench really needed to step up," he added.

Javi wasn't particularly pleased with his own performance, ruing the "sure-in" shots that he missed throughout the game. He also lamented their defensive miscues as a team, which he attributed to miscommunication.

"We've been in this situation, it's nothing new, really," he said of their brief losing skid. "Pero hopefully, we know what we're going to do next, especially since our next game is against Adamson."

"We have to really work double, and make more effort," he added.

As for Javi, he is determined to build on his strong performance against the Tamaraws. He made six of 11 shots in the game for 15 points, on top of three rebounds, an assist, and a block.

"As a player, I make sure I don't really lose my confidence," said Javi. "Whether I get to play or not, I just make sure that when coach needs someone off the bench to help out in the game, I'll just always be ready."

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