The Cabañero surname has long been associated with UST basketball, beginning with former Growling Tigers captain Nicael and later his younger brother Andwele, who made his mark with the Tiger Cubs.
The family’s basketball lineage also includes their cousin Rowie, who won Season 88 Rookie of the Year in UAAP junior high school basketball, and another brother, Nicdom, who was part of the Tigers’ Team B.
Now, UST has another Cabañero in its ranks: Tiger Cub Nicolai Cabañero, who is determined to carve out his own identity and prove he is more than just his surname.
The 12-year-old guard is among the Tiger Cubs’ 12 newcomers this season and made his debut in UST’s 100-75 loss to the National University-Nazareth School Bullpups.
Coming off the bench, he finished as the team’s second-leading scorer with 14 points, five assists and four steals in 25 minutes.
“Magagaling ang mga kuya ko, pero dapat i-give ko lang ang best ko,” Cabañero told the Varsitarian.
Despite the loss, Nicolai’s performance gave UST an early look at his potential as a two-way prospect in the Tiger Cubs program.
Tiger Cubs head coach Noli Mejos sees Nicolai as one of the team’s bright spots, praising the young guard’s confidence and commitment on defense.
“Exposed talaga ‘yong bata (sa pressure),” Mejos told the Varsitarian. “Gagawa tayo ng paraan para lalo pa siyang makatulong sa team.”
While Mejos believes Nicolai still has a lot plenty to develop, he considers the young guard one of the team’s “bright spots.”
Following in the footsteps of his siblings, Nicolai said he feels no pressure to prove himself and is focused on improving his game this season.
Andwele, who is in the same program as Nicolai, said the family’s advice has been simple: always give his best and keep his faith.
“I always reminded him to stay humble. The competition is tough, so he should always give his best and not let others down. Most importantly, I told him to always believe in God and keep his faith strong,” Andwele said.
The Tiger Cubs will next take on the Far Eastern University-Diliman Baby Tamaraws at the Adamson Gym on Saturday, Aug. 29. Charles Martin A. Manalang
