MANILA – Eleven Western Visayas-based players are rostered to play in the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball tournament which will kick off this afternoon at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Among the 11 Region 6 players, four traced their roots to Bacolod City, four are from the province of Negros Occidental, two from Iloilo City and another one from the province of Capiz.
University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons has the greatest number of Western Visayas-based players at four in Iloilo City’s Gerry Abadiano, Bacolod City’s Luis Pablo, Silay City’s Harold Alarcon, and Bago City’s Reyland Torres.
Reigning UAAP men’s seniors basketball champions Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, on the other hand, have two in Iloilo City’s Ian Espinosa and Bacolod City’s Raffy Celis.
National University Bulldogs is also set to parade two Region 6-based players in transferee Donn Spencer Lim and rookie point guard Leobert Andrew Casinillo, both from Bacolod City.
Adamson University Falcons, meanwhile, has one Western Visayas-based player in Isabela, Negros Occidental rookie Kenji Cañete.
Aside from him, the Falcons also had third year forward Cedrick Manzano, who was from Cajidiocan, Romblon but spent his high school years with Hua Siong College of Iloilo Red Phoenix.
La Carlota City, Negros Occidental’s Mark Nonoy is returning for De La Salle University Green Archers, while Roxas City, Capiz’s Christian Manaytay is still part of University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers.
Other participating schools in UAAP Season 86 are Far Eastern University Tamaraws and season host University of the East Red Warriors.
Action kicks off this afternoon with the new-look Growling Tigers handled by Capiznon mentor Alfredo Jarencio, facing the Red Warriors, and the Blue Eagles battling the Bulldogs./PN
