With the start of the much-anticipated University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball tournament, eight cagers from Western Visayas will see action at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Of the eight players, three are from the province of Negros Occidental, three from Iloilo City, and one each from Bacolod City and Capiz.
University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons has the greatest number of Western Visayas-based players with the reinforcement of Iloilo City’s Gerry Abadiano, Silay City, Negros Occidental’s Harold Alarcon and Bago City’s Reyland Torres.
Adamson University Falcons meanwhile, has two Region 6-based players in Isabela, Negros Occidental-native rookie Kenji Cañete and Iloilo City-native Flever Dignadice.
Aside from the two, the Falcons also had fourth year forward Cedrick Manzano, who was from Cajidiocan, Romblon but spent his high school years with Hua Siong College of Iloilo Red Phoenix.
Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, on the other hand, have one in Iloilo City’s Ian Espinosa, University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers has Roxas City, Capiz-native Christian Manaytay, and National University Bulldogs has Bacolodnon Donn Lim.
Other participating schools in UAAP Season 87 are defending champions De La Salle University Green Archers, Far Eastern University Tamaraws and University of the East Red Warriors.IMT
