UST coach Pido Jarencio with Mark Llemit and Jun Melecio. –CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The recruitment coup of University of Santo Tomas continues as the Growling Tigers secured the commitment of Mark Llemit and Jun Melecio ahead of the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball tournament later this year.
UST on Thursday announced that both UAAP boys basketball standouts will take their acts to UST under returning coach Pido Jarencio.
“The addition of these two rookies will be exciting for us because they will beef up our guard rotation and intensify the competition,” said Jarencio in Filipino.
Both UAAP high school standouts will be eligible in Season 86 and have full five playing years.
The 18-year-old Llemit led the Tiger Cubs to the Final Four in the Season 85 boys basketball tournament. The 6-foot-3 winger from Laak, Davao de Oro also led the team to the semifinals of the NBTC National Finals Division 1, where he averaged 16.27 points, 8.27 rebounds, 2.73 assists, and 2.53 steals in 28 minutes to place 19th in the league’s high school rankings.
“Sobrang excited ako kasi dito ako nagsimula. Gusto ko kung saan ako nagsimula, doon din ako sa next level,” he said.
(I’m excited because this is where I started. I want to stay where I started going to the next level [college].)
Jun Melecio. –CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Melecio, the younger brother of PBA star Aljun from Converge, is transferring to UST after his stint with La Salle Zobel, where he normed 8.46 points, 2.85 rebounds, 2.15 assists, and 1.23 steals in 20 minutes.
“I will do everything. How I loved La Salle [Zobel] that’s what I also felt for UST. I’m motivated to give my best to help UST win as many games as possible,” said the 6-foot point guard from Valencia City, Bukidnon in Filipino.
Llemit and Melecio are the latest UST recruits joining SJ Moore from Arellano, Filipino-Canadian shooter Gabriel Obusan, and transferees Rhayyan Amsali and James Una, who will be eligible in Season 87 next year.
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