Jaime Jaquez Jr. travels to look at sister play for NCAA title

Jaime Jaquez Jr. intends to be a spectator for the NCAA ladies’s Tournament closing, the place his sister Gabriela will play for UCLA.

MIAMI (AP) — Jaime Jaquez Jr. began planning for this a number of days in the past. If UCLA discovered its method into the championship sport of the ladies’s NCAA Tournament, he needed to be there, for a few causes.

One, he’s a Bruin.

Two, and way more essential, his sister Gabriela can be on the ground in Phoenix on Sunday.

The basketball gods appear to be favoring the Jaquez household as of late. Jaime Jaquez scored a season-high 32 factors for Miami in Saturday’s win over the Washington Wizards. Then he dashed off to Miami International Airport to catch a business flight to Phoenix, the place UCLA will play South Carolina on Sunday for the nationwide title.

“It’s going to be pretty epic,” Jaime Jaquez mentioned on the Heat broadcast. “I’m really happy for my sister and her team. They’re playing so hard as a group of seniors who’ve been there for a very long time, so this is their moment right now and just going to go support.”

Gabriela Jaquez is well-known to the Heat after making a number of visits to Miami to see her brother over the past three years and spending a while on the workforce’s apply courtroom. She had 10 factors in UCLA’s 51-44 win over Texas within the nationwide semifinals on Friday night time, a end result that despatched her brother’s journey plans into overdrive.

UCLA has by no means gained a ladies’s nationwide title within the NCAA period.

“We keep saying the job’s not finished,” Gabriela Jaquez mentioned. “Still have one more game to win.”

She ranks third in scoring for the Bruins (13.3 factors per sport) and has logged the second-most minutes on the workforce. Sunday can be her 145th sport; UCLA has gone 123-21 when she performs, together with 36-1 this season.

“Gabs made it very clear that I think she was 8 years old, she wrote on that piece of paper she was going to go to UCLA someday,” UCLA coach Cori Close mentioned Saturday. “She has played with that kind of gratitude and passion for all four years.”

There is an apparent rooting curiosity for South Carolina within the Heat locker room; WNBA star A’ja Wilson, Heat heart Bam Adebayo’s longtime girlfriend, is a Gamecocks alum. But Heat coach Erik Spoelstra looks as if he’d be simply nice with seeing UCLA get the win on Sunday, given his appreciation for Close.

She spent a while with the Heat when the workforce was in Los Angeles earlier this season.

“She came to our practice and she is so impressive,” Spoelstra mentioned. “You know, we’ve exchanged texts and calls over the years. We have similar coaching circles where we bounce ideas off each other, but she is a tremendous culture builder — things that I think are really impactful. That’s why I’ve picked her brain over the years.”

The Heat had a scheduled time without work Sunday, so Jaime Jaquez simply needed to discover some flights that match his schedule. He’s anticipated to be with Miami when it performs at Toronto on Tuesday.

“This is her last year, so what better way to go out than playing a national championship game and even better if they won,” Jaime Jaquez mentioned. “So, we’re going to show all the love and support. Heat Nation, come behind the Bruins, please. We’re going to need you guys.”