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MANILA, Philippines – The UE Red Warriors bolstered their pool of talent with the commitment of Ethan Galang, a Filipino-American recruit who will have two years of UAAP men’s basketball eligibility beginning in Season 86, team head coach Jack Santiago confirmed to Rappler on Tuesday, February 7.
Galang, from Chino Hills, California, will enroll as a master’s student at University of the East after finishing his third and final campaign with the Life Pacific University (LPU) Warriors in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics men’s basketball competition and attaining his undergraduate degree in the first half of 2023.
A product of Rowland High School, Galang is currently averaging 10.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 27.7 minutes per contest with LPU. He has shooting splits of 47.3% from the field, 45% from downtown (on almost 5 attempts per contest), and 84% from the free throw line. He can play either guard or forward and stands at 6-foot-4.
Galang’s presence will help a UE squad which lost to graduation CJ Payawal and Mythical Five selection Luis Villegas, who will proceed to the pro level.
It was also a timely development amid other potential team movements involving key players like Kyle Paranada and Gani Stevens.
Galang hopes to help sustain the Warriors resurgent form as the longtime struggling team finished with a sixth-best 5-9 record last season – their best standing in the league since a 6-8 finish in 2015.
Both UE and UST expressed interest in Galang following Fil-Am Nation’s talent showcase in California in 2022.
The Growling Tigers had the inside track on attaining Galang, but their recent coaching hire which saw the arrival of returning mentor Pido Jarencio signaled a change in recruitment preferences for UST and paved the way for UE to receive the commitment of the player Santiago thinks will be “a good replacement for CJ Payawal.”
“He can shoot from outside and at the same time, he’s also a slasher,” Santiago said of his new recruit.
Galang previously visited the Philippines for an NBTC stint and will make his way back to Manila leading up to the team’s preparations for UAAP Season 86.
According to Santiago, the Warriors are focused on rebuilding their roster.
The incoming third-year head coach revealed they are in discussions with the explosive guard Paranada, who is currently in the United States, and are also in similar talks with promising young big man Stevens, to continue their playing years with the Red Warriors.
According to sources with knowledge of the situation and spoke under the condition of anonymity, there is mutual interest between Paranada and both De La Salle University as well as College of St. Benilde for the combo guard to find a new home. However, the same sources also indicated that there is hesitance from prominent figures in both programs in pursuing Paranada.
Key cog Harvey Pagsanjan also initially asked to leave the Red Warriors to pursue a professional career and take care of his responsibilities. He wound up transferring to Emilio Aguinaldo College in the NCAA.
Piolo Cruz, a recruit in UE’s Team B, has also opted to try out for an NCAA team in a bid to make a Team A roster.
Justin Guevarra will not be able to suit up due to academic reasons while 5-foot-10 guard Jojo Antiporda has already graduated from the university.
Santiago confirmed that Abdul Sawat is still enrolled at UE and will play for the Red Warriors, while breakout student-athlete Rey Remogat has resumed training with the team and has enhanced his physical conditioning.
Santiago also shared that UE is figuring out the next steps in inserting a foreign student-athlete recruit to their program. – Rappler.com
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