MANILA – Sam Josef “SJ” Belangel is good to go for his debut with Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball, which starts Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Bacolod City native guard had undergone surgery to repair an orbital-zygomatic-maxillary fracture by putting a titanium in his face months ago but is now back in full strength.
Belangel sustained the gruesome facial injury during Ateneo’s preseason match with Adamson University Falcons in the 2018 Breakdown Basketball Invitational in July.
He was on a drive when he was accidentally kneed by Falcons center Papi Sarr on the right cheek, Belangel recalled. Doctors waited two weeks for the swelling to reduce before performing the surgery.
“Pag-drive ko po, nag-fake ako na mag-shoot tapos nag-drop pass ako sa teammate ko. Eh si Papi Sarr tumalon tapos iyong tuhod niya, sapul sa cheeks ko,” he said.
“Yes po, I am now fully recovered and I am confident that I am good to go for the UAAP opening this September,” said the former Bacolod Tay Tung High School guard.
The 18-year-old was one of the vital cogs for Ateneo Blue Eaglets, averaging 16.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per outing in their UAAP juniors basketball title run last season.
But Belangel is expected to fight for minutes in the Blue Eagles with fellow guards Ferdinand “Thirdy” Ravena III, Matt Nieto, Anton Asistio, Gian Mamuyac, Aaron Black, Tyler Tio, and the returning Adrian Wong./PN
