SAN Miguel Corporation (SMC) has agreed to boost UST’s basketball program in a move expected to improve the Growling Tigers’ chances of regaining UAAP supremacy.
SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua announced the news during a team meeting of the Tigers at the Quadricentennial Pavilion attended by UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P., Institute of Physical Education and Athletics (IPEA) Director Fr. Rodel Cansancio, O.P., and players and coaches of the men’s basketball team.
“I’m from here. I played here. I coached here. I played here for the longest time. This is my home. It’s nice to help yung dating tinitirahan mo at mga kasama mo,” Chua, who was earlier named “Special Assistant to the Rector for Basketball” by UST, told the Varsitarian.
Chua, a UST alumnus and former Glowing Goldie, had been floating the idea of SMC transferring its support from Letran to another school after the Letran Knights completed a three-peat in the NCAA.
Chua said the decision to back UST was approved by SMC’s president and CEO, Ramon Ang.
With SMC as a backer, UST will enjoy stronger financial support to reinforce and make competitive its player recruitment and development efforts.
“As of now, we’re still raw. Kulang pa sa tao at kulang pa sa lahat. But then it’s not easy to recruit right away kung ano kailangan. Dito, talagang from the scratch, the recruitment should be really strong. Go to the province, sa states, lahat sa [kung saan] makakapag-recruit,” Chua said.
Cansancio referred to Chua as the Tigers’ “biggest recruit” during the off-season.
“More than the financial support, it’s really about the guidance of coach Al in managing our basketball team. ‘Yung growth ng experience ni coach Al ay malaking tulong sa basketball program natin. By far, he is the biggest recruit of UST during this off-season,” Cansancio told the Varsitarian.
Chua said it is highly probable that Petron, one of SMC’s subsidiaries, will become the primary sponsor for the team.
There are currently no specific agreements in place regarding the duration of SMC’s support for the Tigers, Chua said.
“We don’t know yet. As long as tutulong kami sa kanila, I guess magtatagal. Of course, everybody wants to win muna,” he said.
UST will enter UAAP Season 86 with a lineup that includes key returnees Nic Cabañero and Adama Faye, along with the addition of promising rookies SJ Moore and Mark Llemit.
