BACOLOD City – Five Negrense basketball players have been recruited to join University of Santo Tomas’ women’s seniors and girls juniors basketball teams for the upcoming UAAP season.
Talisay City, Negros Occidental’s Trisha Mae Ella is set to join the UST Golden Tigresses, while Betty Lumangyao, Grace Canicula, Gin Relliquette and Mary Ella Callosa will play for UST Junior Tigresses.
The five players were all products of the TJ7 Basketball Development Center of Bacolod City-based basketball coach Mark “Tata” Belangel.
“I am personally happy as their coach that they were recruited to play for UST, which we know has one of the best programs for women’s basketball,” Belangel told Panay News on Tuesday.
“It was timely that (UST assistant) coach Sen (Arsenio Dysangco) was recruiting players for the UST team so we presented them with around 60 prospects and five of them passed their standards,” he added.
“Trisha is a 5-foot-11 forward and she will be a great help to the UST seniors team of coach Haydee (Ong), while the four others were guards that will boost UST’s juniors squad,” he added.
The players are scheduled to fly to UST campus in Manila today to formally join the training in preparation for the upcoming UAAP season.
Belangel, uncle of former Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles guard Samjosef Belangel, added that UST was also interested with another player in his stable in Sha Dejarme but she decided to join the school for college.
“Sha was the sixth player that Coach Sen recruited from us but she opted to finish her Grade 12 here in Negros Occidental before joining the UST women’s basketball team for college,” Tata said.
The Golden Tigresses of coach Ong were hoping to bounce back after finishing runner up during the UAAP Season 82 women’s basketball after losing to National University Lady Bulldogs in the finals.
The Junior Tigresses were looking to retain its girls basketball championship after being declared as co-champions with Adamson University Baby Falcons in UAAP Season 82, which was cut short due to coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic./PN
