UST, Ateneo ‘swap’ players

The wheeling and dealing among college players continue with University of Santo Tomas (UST) and Ateneo de Manila University appear to have swapped their players heading into Season 88 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament this September.

The Blue Eagles have landed swingman Carl Manding following a fruitful campaign that led to a juniors’ basketball title for the Tiger Cubs.

In a statement, the 6-foot-1 Manding expressed his gratitude to UST while beaming with excitement over the opportunity to contribute to the Blue Eagles.

“I have completed a major milestone in my young life today as I graduate from senior high school. As I take this next step in my journey, I want to express my deepest gratitude to the University of Santo Tomas and its incredibly supportive community,” said Manding, who averaged 8.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in Season 87.

"UST will always hold a special place in my heart.”

He added that he couldn’t wait to join and contribute to coach Tab Baldwin and the Ateneo program that missed the Final Four the previous season.

“I sincerely thank Ateneo, Coach Tab and the entire Ateneo community for trusting, accepting and giving me a chance to be part of the proud traditions of Ateneo basketball,” he said.

“I promise to represent the school with steadfast dedication, commitment and respect.”

On the other hand, promising big man Kristian Porter chose UST to be his next team after bolting out of Ateneo last week.

The burly 6-foot-5 standout said UST’s culture and quality of education made it easy for him to transfer.

“One of the biggest reasons I chose UST was because of the quality of education — it’s something I really value for my future beyond basketball,” said the 19-year-old Porter, who will join a loaded UST side headed by former Blue Eagle Forthsky Padrigao.

“Forthsky played a huge part in introducing me to the school’s culture. The sense of community and tradition here really stood out to me.”

Porter, who averaged 6.57 points and 6.86 rebounds in his rookie season in the UAAP will sit out Season 88 before being eligible in Season 89. Still, he will have two years of playing eligibility.