JOEL Cagulangan went back to his roots and showed gratefulness to La Salle, his high school alma mater, after helping steer his college team University of the Philippines to the Season 87 University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball championship and earning the Finals’ Most Valuable Player award.
After singing the school anthem with the Fighting Maroons, he joined his former Archer teammates with the singing of the Green and White alma mater song.
Cagulangan got hugs and pats on the back from his former teammates, including his La Salle-Greenhills’ pal Joshua David. He also got an emotional embrace from Green Archers’ coach Topex Robinson and team manager Terry Capistrano.
Back in high school, it was Cagulangan’s three-pointer and heroics, which pushed La Salle-Greenhills to its first junior cage crown in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Cagulangan and David were taken in by the Green Archers right after high school, but since the former did not get much time on the floor, he later decided to move over to the Fighting Maroons’ camp.
“They took care of me and my teammate when I was there. That’s why I’m grateful for also being part of the La Salle family,” said Cagulangan, who also thanked a sponsor, businessman Frank Lao and his family, for supporting his decision to go to UP.
Lao has been an active supporter of the LSGH program in the past.
In Cagulangan’s rookie year with the Fighting Maroons, it was his three-pointer in overtime, which led to UP’s historic 72-69 overtime finals’ triumph in Game 3 over the Ateneo Blue Eagles, ending a 35-year title drought.
Averaging 13.66 points, 4.33 rebounds, and 4.66 assists this season, Cagulangan tallied 12 points, including a triple in the last 6:53, which broke Game 3’s last deadlock, 61-58.
Quentin Millora-Brown made it a done deal by sinking two golden charities in the last 11.3 seconds, for the final count at 66-62 as he went on to finish with 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Maroons.
“Wala akong masabi kungdi thank you. Sobrang happy ako na napunta ako sa programang ito. Wi-nelcome nila ako nang maayos at deserve ng UP na manalo this season,” said Cagulangan as he ended his collegiate career on a bright note.
Back in 2021, Monteverde said it was a different time for the team when they won the championship, with Ricci Rivero and CJ Cansino taking charge.
“Siyempre, masaya kami for both teams (batch 2021 and 2024), iba ang kasama namin sa Season 84. Sina Ricci and CJ, we had them for that championship,” said Maroons’ coach Goldwin Monteverde.
He added that it was the team’s hard work, which put them to where they are.
“I’m very thankful, especially sa mga bata. From the start of the season, after na matalo kami sa finals last year, araw-araw nila tina-trabaho ito. They worked really hard for this,” said Monteverde.
