THE GROWLING Tigers’ “kalbo” era has come to a close—for the senior players, at least.
Since coach Pido Jarencio took the reins of UST’s senior men’s basketball team in 2006, the Tigers were identified equally through their gritty game play and buzz cut hairstyle, which served as a sign of the players’ sacrifice for the team.
This season onwards, the signature haircut will now reflect team hierarchy.
Only senior players are exempted from the mandatory haircut because Jarencio would like to instill to his wards, especially to the rookies, that the exclusion from the tradition should be earned. Team captain Jeric Teng and sweet-shooting Clark Baustista are the graduating players from this year’s fold while the rookie Tigers are Jeepey Faundo, Brian James So and Jon Macasaet.
“There has to be seniority and they have to earn it (exemption),” Jarencio said.
The players have originally proposed to break the Tigers’ renowned practice for all the players, Teng said.
“Nag-request kami na huwag na magpakalbo,” said Teng, who is entering his final playing year for the Tigers. “Lahat naman kami ayaw [magpaahit ng anit]. Basta medyo clean cut lang.”
Jarencio was initially reluctant to approve the players’ request because he wanted to maintain the team tradition he started.
“Kasi sila ‘yung mga rookies, mga bago lang sila pero ‘yung mga graduating hindi na,” Jarencio said. “Kapag ‘di nagpakalbo e ‘di nawala ‘yung trademark natin.”
Yet Teng clarified that he and his teammates still knew the value of sacrifice for the team.
“May sacrifice naman kami,” he said. “Hindi necessarily magpapakalbo [para mapakita ‘yun]. Matagal na kami sa team so alam na namin ano dapat ang igi-give up, alam namin saan dapat kami patungo.”
He also added that apart from the reason that it’s time for change, his team had proven that whether shaved or not, they could still get the job done.
Last December, the unshaved Tigers exacted revenge on their UAAP season 75 finals nemesis, the Ateneo Blue Eagles, to win their first Philippine Collegiate Championship League (PCCL) championship in history.
Whether their hairstyle changes or not for the season, Teng said their goal would remain the same.
“Gusto ko talaga mag-champion, ganun pa rin,” he said. “We fell short last season but I think if we work things out, magsama-sama kami ulit, okay pa rin kami for the title.”
He added that the key to success does not lie on their physical appearance but on the team’s chemistry, which they have developed over the years.
“We’ve been playing together for years. We have the same coaching staff. Okay naman suporta ng fans, so tingin ko ‘yun talaga magdadala sa ‘min. Wala sa hairstyle ‘yun, kasi nasa amin na talaga ‘yun.”
