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MANILA, Philippines – De La Salle Zobel High School star Quinito Banzon has joined Ateneo de Manila University and could soon be playing UAAP college basketball for the Blue Eagles, Rappler has learned.
Banzon, who a few months ago told Rappler he would be part of University of the Philippines’ line-up in the FilOil preseason tournament, has been practicing with Ateneo’s Team B as of late, according to his teammate Hubert Cani.
Cani said that Ateneo has yet to announce which players will be in the university’s Team A that will see action in this year’s UAAP season.
If ever Blue Eagles head coach Bo Perasol and his coaching staff want to field Banzon, they need not to worry about any residency rule punishments thanks to Senator Pia Cayetano’s Senate Bill No. 2266, which was recently ratified, prohibiting school athletic associations from imposing residency rules on transferring high school student-athletes.
Under section 6 of the bill, it says that “No residency requirement shall be imposed on a high school Student-Athlete transferring to another high school or to a college or university.”
The 6-foot Banzon averaged 14.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.3 3-pointers a game in his senior campaign with La Salle Zobel in the UAAP Season 77 junior’s basketball tournament. He shot 40% from the field and 30% from downtown, helping lead DLSZ to the stepladder Final Four.
In this year’s SLAM Rising Stars Classic – where the top 24 high school prospects in the country showcase their talents – Banzon registered 9 points as Team Punks defeated Team Hype, 103-95.
Sources say that Banzon also practiced with the DLSU Green Archers months ago but chose to play for the Fighting Maroons for a shot at more UAAP playing time.
“I’m super pumped to play in the preseason league,” Banzon told Rappler back in April, “so that I get a feel of college ball and to benchmark myself, and the team, so I can work everything before the UAAP season.”
When contacted by Rappler a few days ago, Banzon didn’t confirm if he was already in Ateneo but said that “a lot has changed” since he announced he was going to be in UP’s FilOil roster.
“Long story short,” he continued, “there was a disagreement between Coach Joe [Ward] and my family, and I.”
Ward told Rappler back in March that he would be the next head coach of the UP Maroons, but just a few weeks ago, InterAksyon reported that former PBA player Rensy Bajar would be named the new head coach of University of the Philippines.
According to the report, a conflict between Ward and the Basketball Coaches of the Philippines was the reason why he “couldn’t assume a permanent role.”
Ward recently led a UP-based team to a title in the inaugural Filsports Basketball Association.
In Ateneo, Banzon joins a loaded roster that could help the Blue Eagles contend in the UAAP past the playing years of Kiefer Ravena, who will have his last season of eligibility in 2015.
Besides Cani – a former UAAP junior’s Finals MVP – and Banzon, Ateneo will also have the services of Jerie Pingoy, reigning UAAP rookie of the year Arvin Tolentino, Thirdy Ravena, and more.
– Rappler.com
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