MANILA – Negrense basketball star Kent Jane Pastrana made a surprise move. She transferred to the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses’ women’s seniors cage team.
UST IPEA director Rodel Cansancio, OP, confirmed the transfer of the Victorias City, Negros Occidental native who spent her rookie year with De La Salle University Lady Archers.
“Kent Jane has transferred to UST women’s basketball team but she still has to serve one-year residency before making her debut with the Tigresses next year,” Cansancio told Panay News on Wednesday.
While it will still take a year before Pastrana makes her UST debut in the UAAP, the Negrense already suited up for the yellow and gold in the Breakdown Basketball Invitational women’s tournament.
Pastrana was even a key contributor for the Golden Tigresses in the pre-season tournament where they swept their five eliminations round matches to reach the semifinals phase.
“Kent Jane is a great addition for the UST team,” said Golden Tigresses head coach Haydee Ong. “We all know what she is capable of doing on the court so she is a welcome addition to us.”
Pastrana was a former standout of the Doña Montserrat Lopez Memorial High School in Silay City and also represented the Philippines in the ASEAN School Games in Malaysia in 2018.
The Negrense basketball cager was then recruited to play for the Lady Archers and made her collegiate debut in UAAP Season 82 women’s basketball tournament, where DLSU finished at fifth with 7-7 record.
Despite falling short of the UAAP Final Four that year, Pastrana still recorded solid averages of 16.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 2.3 steals to be named as Rookie of the Year and a member of the Mythical Five.
At the Golden Tigresses, Pastrana joins fellow Negrenses Charity Pecana (Bacolod City) and Trisha Mae Ella (Talisay City) and another Western Visayas-based cager Ana Mae Tacatac of Iloilo City./PN
