INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines— Basketball fans from the South should be ecstatic to hear mention of players who happen to be hometown heroes when they watch this year’s UAAP and NCAA season on TV.

That’s because varsity teams from both collegiate leagues are parading a number of players coming from the South.

Far Eastern U, touted as one of the strongest teams entering UAAP season 72, boasts of Marc Barocca and RR Garcia, who both hail from Zamboanga City.

Barocca is touted to be one of the best college players around while Garcia carries a lot of potential for a rookie, having won the Most Valuable Player plum in the pre-season FilOil Flying V Cup.

Tamaraws head coach Glenn Capacio said they had no intention of recruiting exclusively players from the South.

But due to intense competition among college teams recruiting players from Metro Manila high schools, players coming from the provinces are making their presence a lot more known to coaches.

“Those who are from here (Manila) are most likely choose schools with good offers like Ateneo or La Salle,” said Capacio, a native of Leyte who spent his college years playing for FEU.

“But the advantage of the players from the provinces is their physical strength having been exposed to hard work in the province,” he added.

Also, he noted that players from the provinces are more driven to “make a name” for themselves and make their families and friends back home feel proud about what they accomplished.

UST head coach Pido Jarencio also shares the same view, noting that players from the provinces are known to be brave and determined although he said there are still a lot of great high school players in Metro Manila.

Bacolod native Clark Bautista will make his debut with the Tigers this season.

Meanwhile, National University coach Manny Dandan also noted that a lot of players coming from the South that carry potential of becoming UAAP superstars.

“They are hungry for exposure and it drives them to do better,” he said. Veteran Bulldog Michael Luy is from Leyte while rookie Ajeet Singh is from Iloilo.

“They come from a long way just to study and play and they will not waste that chance compared to players from the city where opportunities are easily granted,” said Nomer Isla, head coach of the Emilio Aguinaldo College, one of three guest schools playing in the NCAA this season.

Isla added players from the provinces are at a disadvantage because training is not as advanced as what high players in Manila-based schools get.

EAC has in its roster Franz Chiong and Dandi Alanto who hail from the province of Cotabato.