MANILA – Six members of Iloilo City-based basketball team Elite Lab have committed to the College of St. Benilde Blazers, while another one was recruited to Colegio de San Juan de Letran Squires.
According to Elite Lab co-founder Eugene Chua, the Blazers have recently acquired Irele Galas, John Lester Amagan, John Loyd Martinez, Renel Jopillo, Kent John Parrenas and Moisis dela Cruz.
Martinez, a forward from San Enrique in Negros Occidental, Amagan, a center from Bacolod City, and Iloilo City-native winger Jopillo were all graduates of St. Robert’s International Academy Panda Rockets.
La Carlota City, Negros Occidental-native forward Galas, Estancia, Iloilo-native winger Dela Cruz and Pototan, Iloilo-native point guard Parrenas were transferees from Western Institute of Technology and will serve one-year residency with the Blazers.
Chua shared that Blazers head coach Charles Tiu along with their team boosters Frank Lao and Jacob Lao personally went to Iloilo City earlier this year to secure the commitment of the six players.
“The Elite Lab is happy that Irele, Lester, John Loyd, Renel, Kent and Moisis will realize their dreams to play in Manila with their commitment with the CSB Blazers,” Chua told Panay News on Wednesday.
“They were personally overseen by coach Charles and the CSB boosters and they agreed that these six players will be of help to the Blazers. In fact, they were already training there for a month now,” he added.
Another member of the Elite Lab team in Iloilo City-native point guard Erlance Pedrita has been recruited to join the reigning NCAA juniors basketball champions Letran Squires, which is also being supported by Lao’s group.
Galas, Amagan, Parrenas, Jopillo, Martinez, Dela Cruz and Pedrita were just the latest member of the John Guanco-mentored Elite Lab to be recruited in Manila aside from Pontevedra, Negros Occidental-native Fritz Suclan of Adamson University Falcons.
“We are glad to serve as an instrument to these talented basketball players to be discovered by Manila-based teams,” Chua said. “We will continue to discover more talent here in Western Visayas and help them get ready for the big leagues.”/PN
