There was a call for help when team members of the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers men’s basketball team started packing up and began leaving their training camp in Sorsogon three weeks ago.
Teammates Rhenz Abando, Ira Bataller and Brent Paraiso were looking forward to bolting the squad and transferring to another school.
Mounting fears that the team will be sanctioned and members of the coaching staff will eventually be penalized by the government and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines for health and safety violation were among their concerns.
Answering their cries for assistance and support became the mantra of Letran Knights coach Bonnie Tan when he eventually decided to accept the players into the team as reserves and student-athletes in residency.
“Humihingi sila ng tulong, Mahirap para sa isang coach na tumanggi sa mga talented players na katulad nila,” said Tan, who is beefing up the roster of the Knights following their title conquest in the 95th National Collegiate Athletic Association last year.
It took time, around three weeks, for the coaching staff and sports officials of the Colegio de San Juan de Letran to get the papers of the three players readied for their eventual transfer, according to Tan in an interview with Manila Standard.
This was because members of the squad were coming home in batches, and not in one big group.
When all members of the team finally got home, Abando, Bataller and Paraiso were all able to touch base with Letran officials, and their willingness to serve out at least two years of residency before they could finally be allowed to play.
“Nag-express sila kung puede pang humabol. That was two and a half weeks ago,” said Tan.
Of the three, the 6’2” Abando has the best stats, after averaging 11.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in the finals against Ateneo last year.
Abando, Bataller and Paraiso won’t be suiting up in the next season of the NCAA. Tan said four tall players, led by Larry Muyang, have graduated.
For next season, the Knights have gotten the commitment of National University Bullpups Jeff Mailim and Jimly Lantaya from the Bullpups in high school.
Mailim and Lantaya were around when the Bullpups took the last two UAAP juniors championships.
A 5-foot-10 guard, Mailim averaged 2.2 points and 1.1 rebounds in 8.0 minutes of action last year.
The 6-foot-9 Lantaya had averages of 3.8 points and 2.5 boards last season, while playing in the second unit behind Carl Tamayo and Kevin Quiambao.
The pair will come in handy when they team up with Fran Yu and Jeo Ambohot.
Controversy involving the Growling Tigers began last August 20.
That was when Growling Tigers skipper CJ Cansino was removed from the team after he made efforts to explain to Ayo his mental health issues at that time.
Cansino eventually transferred to the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.
A total of five players quit the team since then, while the university’s Institute of Physical Education and Athletics head Jannel Novino Abogado, O.P., resigned and was replaced by Fr. Ermito de Sagon
The exodus of players from the Growling Tigers followed with the latest being six-foot-two small forward Ferdinand Asuncion Jr., who is said to have joined the Mapua Cardinals.