UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas’ men’s basketball program gets a major boost, as the school appointed San Miguel Corp. (SMC) sports director Alfrancis Chua as the Special Assistant to the Rector for Sports.

Chua personally appeared before Rector Fr. Richard Ang, OP, Institute of Physical Education and Athletics (IPEA) director Fr. Rodel Cansancio, OP, and the Growling Tigers team yesterday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena.

The Growling Tigers will have Pido Jarencio, who steered the school’s 18th and most recent UAAP championship in 2006, back in the sidelines for Season 86 tentatively scheduled to open in late September.

“I’m here to fully support UST. This is my school, dito ako lumaki, mahal ko ang school na ito,” said Chua.

“The only thing we have to do is to prove ourselves with how we play. If we’re gonna work together, we’re strong,” he added.

Chua received the green light from SMC president and CEO Ramon S. Ang to support the Growling Tigers, with Petron serving as a major sponsor.

“I would like to assure you UST will be giving it’s full support to the team and everybody involved. We hope we will make it good in the coming seasons,” said Ang.

It’s a homecoming of sorts for Chua who was a part of the Glowing Goldies team and the team captain back in 1989.

“This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the full support of coach Al. Coach Al is yung pinaka-magaling nating na-recruit,” said Cansancio.

Chua will reunite with his former college teammate Jarencio, as the duo seek to bring glory back to España.

“Matagal na kaming magkasama ni coach Al at masaya kami na sinamahan niya kami dito. Isa lang ang hangarin namin lahat, yung maibalik ang korona sa Espana dito sa bagong simula natin sa UST,” said Jarencio.

Holdovers Nic Cabañero and Adama Faye will lead the Growling Tigers’ charge after a forgettable one-win season last year, along with the arrival of rookies SJ Moore and Mark Llemit.

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Theodore P. Jurado