MANILA -- After suffering a second ACL injury in his collegiate career, UP Fighting Maroons team captain CJ Cansino is ready to lead the stacked squad ahead of UAAP Season 86.

His comeback season started well, as in just 10 minutes of action in their 91-75 win over the FEU Tamaraws on Sunday at the FilOil Preseason Cup in San Juan, the former UST Growling Tiger put up 11 points and two dimes in the league’s opener.

Cansino, who incidentally suffered his first ACL injury while he was playing against UP in 2018, shared that his experience helped him in recovering from such a freak accident.

"Medyo alam ko na kung paano ko siya gagawin dahil napagdaanan ko na at alam ko na yung experience. It's all about mindset talaga kasi minsan nakakalimutan mo na kaya mong gawin ito, pero kaya mo pala. Subok lang nang subok. Siyempre, 'di mawawala yung takot, pero process ito," he explained.

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After missing all of last season, the 6-foot–2 guard is preparing for the task of leading the Maroons who are parading a roster filled with prized recruits.

"Mabigat yung responsibility ng isang leader. Bago mo ituro, kailangan mo gawin yung tama. Lagi kaming nire-remind ni coach Gold [Monteverde] na ilugar namin lagi yung mga bata sa tamang way, na maging pasensyoso kami kasi yung mga na-recruit namin is bago talaga," said Cansino.

UP’s offseason recruits include Francis Lopez, Chicco Briones, and rookies Seven Gagate and Luis Pablo from La Salle Green Hills. The former UAAP Juniors MVP knows the challenge it will take for the squad to build chemistry that will translate on the court.

"Puro star players yung mga bata, so yung challenge is kung paano kami mag-jell as a team, kung paano namin bubuuin yung lima sa loob as a team kaya day-by-day hihimayin namin yun," said Cansino.

"Challenging talaga, pero ina-accept namin yung challenge na yun," he adds.

UAAP Season 85 is streaming on iWantTFC every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, available for Premium users outside the Philippines.