IT TOOK a big heart for a pint-sized athlete to try a ball sport and a contest of speed.
For 5-foot-3 Thristan Edge Laman, playing basketball and athletics required a lot of discipline and patience, especially since he had to balance them with academics.
The high school senior immediately suited up as second-stringer point guard for the Tiger Cubs in his debut last UAAP season, where the team finished third after a sixth-place slump in Season 74.
“Sobrang saya ko nung nakapasok ako sa team dahil basketball talaga ang first love ko. Height doesn’t really matter,” Laman said.
Known for his agility and dribbling skills, the Antipolo native played a crucial role for the Cubs, who ended the first round of Season 75 with five wins and two losses at third place.
But an elbow injury in a game against National University kept Laman off the hardcourt for the rest of the season.
The injury, though, did not hold him back.
While watching a practice game, juniors track and field coach Francis Oliveros noticed Laman’s quickness.The high school mentor then asked Laman to offer his services to the Tracksters.
Running the tracks was nothing new for Laman as he once played the same sport for San Sebastian in his freshman year, later transferring to UST for ‘’ “bigger”opportunities.
The 16-year-old made his debut as a black-and-gold Trackster last semester in four events: 100-m dash, 200-m dash, 4×1 meter relay and long jump.
Laman was not so successful in his first try, but is still considered by Oliveros to play for the team in the upcoming UAAP season.
“The good thing about coach Francis (Oliveros) is that he allows me to practice with the team anytime and lets me focus with basketball first,” he said.
Now on his last year with the Tiger Cubs and the Tracksters, Laman plans to focus on basketball once he gets into collegiate ranks.
“My stint in track and field will help me in the future when I enter college. It’s a different level of play there,” he said.
Laman recorded the most assists in the 2013 Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas U-16, where the Tiger Cubs prevailed as champions.
He was also part of the 2010 Jr. NBA program.
