In a week filled with career-high performances in the NCAA Season 98 men's basketball tournament, Will Gozum stood out for league-leading De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
Against a defense-oriented JRU squad last Wednesday, the 6-foot-7 bruiser poured in a career-best 34 points on 13-of-17 shooting from the field, imposing his will and getting the shots he wanted for the Blazers en route to a 92–79 victory.
This marks the second time that the 23-year-old Gozum reset his career-high this season, beating his 25-point outing from CSB's 85-72 win over Mapua last October 19.
The feat got Gozum the nod to be the Collegiate Press Corps NCAA Player of the Week presented by San Miguel Corporation and the Philippine Sports Commission.
The fourth-year big man edged out Arellano's Cade Flores, San Beda's Tony Ynot, San Sebastian's Rhinwil Yambing, and Letran's Louie Sangalang for the weekly honor decided and deliberated upon by print and online media regularly covering the league and also supported by minor sponsors MNL Kingpin, Tinapayan Festival, and Jockey.
Gozum, who became the first player so far this season to be named Player of the Week twice, didn't look into his career high that much as he thinks anyone of his teammates can get hot at any given game.
"I'm happy na naka-career high ako pero sana magtuloy-tuloy pa rin kami. Siguro, day ko lang ngayon at feel ko na next game, mga teammates ko naman magwo-work (for the win)," Gozum said.
Benilde head coach Charles Tiu, though, is expecting more from his prized big man as the Taft crew continues its bid to catch the Final Four bus for the first time since 2002.
"It is (what I'm looking for in Will) except for the turnovers. He really carried up but he still had seven turnovers and zero assists," Tiu said.
"His turnovers are mind-boggling so I guess we have to improve on his passing but he still played a great game and I tip my hat off to him. He was really good in this game."