NCAA: Knights welcome 3 ex-Tigers

Abando, Paraíso and Bataller close deal with Letran

After days of speculation, three highly touted players ended their deal with NCAA defending champion Letran, while Rhenz Abando, Brent Paraiso and Ira Bataller met with team officials.

The three former Santo Tomas University players met Tuesday with Letran’s mentor, Bonnie Tan, and Alfrancis Chua, the athletic director of San Miguel Corp., which supports the Knights’ basketball program.

“Maybe they believe in the Letran and San Miguel system taking care of the players,” Chua told the Manila Bulletin. “They know how we run a team.”

“They were not wrong when choosing Letran, because how we take care of the players at the professional level as well as at the collegiate level,” added Chua, referring to the three SMC teams in the PBA – San Miguel Beer, Barangay Geneva and Magnolia Hotshots and Petron. in the PSL.

Other college teams reportedly attempted to recruit the three players after announcing their departure from UST following the Growling Tigers’ alleged “bubble” training at Sorsogon.

Such training led to the resignation of Aldin Ayo as coach of the UST men’s basketball team.

The transfer of Paraíso, Abando and Bataller was the third of the former Tigres after the commitment of CJ Cansino with UP Fighting Maroons and Jun Asunción with Mapua Cardinals.

Chua said they only discussed matters related to the Letran basketball program, and did not discuss the controversy surrounding UST, his alma mater where he played in the 1980s.

“We don’t really talk about it, we don’t talk about anything about UST… or what happened to them. Whatever they have experienced, this is another chapter in their lives, ”Chua said.

“It is no longer up to us to find out what happened. We are not gossipers. The important thing is that they are here in Letran. Perhaps many people are surprised why not just one or two … three. “

“They are a great addition to the team. The team is deeper. Maybe our friends from Above will be happier. “

Tan, for his part, said having all three is a good problem since, after a year of residency, they will join a team that has NCAA Finals MVP Fran Yu and Larry Muyang.

“The coaches and management thought about it a lot, it was as if our children were like that from one Dominican school to another. From the beginning we didn’t think we would get them, ”Tan said.

“The important thing is that they can study, and when they can practice, let’s see… it’s a good problem to have them on the team. We are excited to rehearse when possible. “

Of the three new recruits, only Bataller has three years into their academic playing season, while Paraíso and Abando each have two years to play once they begin their NCAA campaign.