UST recruitment drive surges further, stashes 2 more Fil-Am recruits
MANILA, Philippines – University of Santo Tomas’ basketball recruitment drive continued to gain speed on Wednesday, July 26, as the Growling Tigers secured the commitment of two more Fil-Am prospects in John Abate and Jason Suba.
The 6-foot-1 Abate, a native of Orange Park, Florida, will have two years of eligibility left for UST starting UAAP Season 87 after spending two years with Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, where he averaged 6.5 points on 39% shooting from three, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists.
Suba, meanwhile, will have a longer, four-year leash with the Growling Tigers after spending one year at Kean University in New Jersey.
The 6-foot-2 winger played for Team United USA in the 2023 National Basketball Training Centre (NBTC) National Finals and tallied 11.0 points and 3.7 boards.
Both will undergo residency and will fight for their roster spot by 2024.
“We’re adding more materials here in UST, so it’s important for us to allow them to show what they can do and see if they can help us,” said head coach Pido Jarencio in Filipino.
These commitments are just the latest in a long line of UST moves done over the off-season, which indicate a serious drive to rise back to Final Four contention.
Notable recruits so far include former UE gunner Kyle Paranda and ex-UP prospect Ashon Andrews, among a handful of other signings backed by the arrival of the San Miguel Corporation.
UST, still bannered by top cogs Nic Cabañero and Adama Faye, is looking to improve from a forgettable Season 85 campaign that bottomed out with a 1-13 record. – Rappler.com