DYLAN Despi, a prized recruit from Bacolod, has committed to play for the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs in the coming season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Junior Basketball Tournament.
The standout of Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts basketball team opted to transfer to the Tiger Cubs following many offers from other Manila-based schools.
“There are a number of schools who approached me, but I chose UST kasi nakita ko na maganda ang basketball program [nila] and I also heard na iba rin magpakita ng suporta ang mga Tomasino,” said Despi in a statement.
The 17-year-old Despi received a number of Most Valuable Player honors as a member of the Thunderbolts and was recently tapped to play for the RST Don Bosco Dumaguete team in the SM National Basketball Training Center National Finals in Manila.
Despi is the second player to commit to the Tiger Cubs this week following San Beda University Red Cubs center Alfred Loreto.
Tiger Cubs team manager Jarvis Co said the 6’1” Bacolodnon guard will be a key addition to the UST crew of head coach Manu Inigo.
The Tiger Cubs are seeking to improve their fourth-place finish in the UAAP Season 85 juniors’ basketball tournament,
“He will definitely have his minutes with us and we will assure that we will take care of his basketball career moving forward,” said Co
Despi further said that the impending move to the Tiger Cubs inspired him more to continue to work on his abilities as he vowed to help the squad to reach its goal in the upcoming UAAP juniors’ season.