MANILA – Negrense guard Harold Alarcon committed to play for the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons. He would thus be reuniting with his high school coach, Goldwyn Monteverde.
The Silay City, Negros Occidental native said one of the factors he considered was his familiarity with Monteverde, who was recently appointed as UP head coach in lieu of Ilonggo Dolreich Perasol.
“Siya ang unang nag-mold sa akin dito sa Manila. And feeling ko hindi pa siya tapos e-improve ‘yung potential ko as a player. Madami pa akong makukuha sa kanya when it comes to basketball and growth,” Alarcon told Tiebreaker Times.
The 6-foot-1 Alarcon is also excited to reunite with his former National University Bullpups teammates who are now with UP – Ilonggo Gerry Abadiano, Carl Tamayo, Terrence Fortea and Cyril Gonzales.
“Nakita ko ‘yung news about sa mga former teammates ko. Napag-isip-isipan ko pa lalo kung ano makakabuti sa akin and I chose to go to UP,” Alarcon said. “Another reason is ‘yung education na mai-offer ng UP.”
Fresh from high school, Alarcon will immediately be eligible to play for UP in the UAAP Season 84 tournament, which is expected to be held in a bubble in the first quarter of 2022.
Alarcon was a former standout of Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts, where he dropped a 51-point triple-double during the National Basketball Training Center regionals back in 2018.
Harold was then pried away by Monteverde and the Bullpups from the Thunderbolts. During his two-year stay in NU, Alarcon posted norms of 4.75 points and 3.12 rebounds in 33 games played./PN
