The young Tigers are here to stay.
Graduating Tiger Cubs Koji Buenaflor, Charles Bucsit, and Carl Manding have committed to stay with UST and reinforce the Growling Tigers next season, team sources told the Varsitarian.
Buenaflor, Bucsit, and Manding were key cogs in the Tiger Cubs’ historic Season 87 title run in March, when UST snapped its 24-year championship drought in UAAP high school basketball.
“Very happy ako kasi kahit papaano, nakinig naman ‘yong mga players sa mga advice namin na mag-stay sa UST,” Iñigo told the Varsitarian.
“‘Yong mga pinaghirapan nila sa baba, at least matutuloy nila sa UST seniors, kasi ‘yon naman ‘yong usapan namin nila Coach Pido (Jarencio), yung mag-stay at umangat sa program mga players.”
UST team captain Buenaflor, the fifth-ranked high school player by NBTC this year, averaged 12.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.59 assists in his final high school season.
Manding put up 8.53 points, and 5.0 rebounds per game, while Bucsit averaged 8.34 points, and 6.37 rebounds for the Tiger Cubs in Season 87. Manding and Bucsit hit an identical 29.5% from beyond the arc.
Iñigo added that the seniors team is also eyeing Alfredo Loreto and Jude Javier, while foreign student-athlete Racine Kane, who will undergo surgery this April due to an ACL injury, is also being considered for the roster but is still awaiting clearance from Jarencio.
Buenaflor is expected to beef up the Growling Tigers’ power forward rotation, following the departure of Christian Manaytay and Miguel Pangilinan, who are also set to graduate this year.
He will join former Tiger Cubs teammate Mark Llemit on the seniors roster.
Meanwhile, Manding and Bucsit will join a crowded backcourt rotation led by Forthsky Padrigao and Nic Cabañero.
“Constant communication lang kami ni Coach Pido and mga players. Talagang nanininwala sya sa program namin, so talagang binigyan niya kami ng chance sa trabaho…Sana sa future tuloy tuloy lang ‘yong ganito,” the coach said.
The Growling Tigers finished with bronze in Season 87, ending their five-year Final Four drought.
