After a disappointing final UAAP year, with the Growling Tigers missing the Final Four after back-to-back finals appearances, Aljon Mariano will start anew in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) with crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra.
The “Clutch Cat” slipped in the second round of the PBA Rookie Draft last Aug. 23, after getting picked 16th over all and will be playing his natural position as a shooting guard for Tim Cone, PBA’s winningest coach.
“Looking forward na maganda ang ilaro ko kasi mas natural na ang positionw college,” Mariano told the Varsitarian.
During his collegiate stint where he missed most of his first two years due to injuries, Mariano suited up as a small forward for the “small ball” style of play of the UST Growling Tigers which does not require a lot of height but leans on speed as the main point of attack.
The 6-foot-3 Mariano said that he can adjust well with Cone’s patented triangle offense citing that it was also used in former UST head coach Pido Jarencio’s system.
Mariano also said that he wants to prove that he "belongs in the league" and wishes for a "long and healthy career” while leaving the memory of the missed game-winning shot in game three of the UAAP Season 76 final behind which is “now a thing of the past.”
"Malaki ang natulong sa ‘kin ng UST, doon ko talaga na-develop ang character ko and how I matured as a player,"Mariano said.
In his last three years with the Growling Tigers, Mariano averaged 11.94 points on a 39.8 percent shooting, 6.76 rebounds and 1.96 assists.
