MANILA—De La Salle University scored a major coup this UAAP offseason with the commitment of homegrown players Rhyle Melencio and Ethan Alian and Vhoris Marasigan.
Melecio was a former standout of De La Salle Zobel, while Alian was from NCAA Season 98 juniors basketball runner up La Salle Greenhills and Marasigan was from the San Beda Red Cubs programs.
"It's always nice to have players that want to play for you. Yun yung malaking bagay dun—they really want to play and get a degree in La Salle," said Green Archers head coach Topex Robinson.
For Melencio and Alian, it was a dream come true for them to continue their collegiate career with La Salle, while Marasigan was excited to be part of rich basketball history of the Taft-based dribblers.
"Nung nag-commit na ako sa La Salle tumaas palahibo ko dahil hindi ako makapaniwala na natupad na yung pangarap ko," said Melencio. "I'm just really happy na my dreams are coming true and malaking bagay to para sa akin and para sa family ko.
"And syempre nag papasalamat ako kay Coach Topex na tinulungan niya ako matupad pangarap ko,” added Melencio, who already committed to University of Santo Tomas last year only to backtrack afterwards.
"For me, it's a dream come true kasi yung pagiging Lasallian ko kasi since Grade 6 nandun na ako," said Alian. "Yung community po doon, Coach Topex, the managers, and my teammates, I feel will be good for my development not just as a player but also as a student."
"Excited po ako makapaglaro at mag-aral po sa La Salle. Tapos makakasama ko rin po ulit si CJ (Austria) na dati kong teammate sa UE," said Marasigan, who skipped the Red Cubs campaign in NCAA Season 98 following the exit of former coach Manu Iñigo.
Melencio, Alian, and Marasigan join Jonnel Policarpio, Isaiah Phillips, and Matthew Rubico of Lyceum of the Philippines University-Cavite as part of DLSU's incoming freshman class.
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