After a short pit stop at Colegio de San Juan de Letran in the NCAA juniors’ basketball tournament, Andwele Cabañero is heading back to his roots.
The brother of former Growling Tiger Nic is returning to the University of Santo Tomas ahead of the Tiger Cubs’ buildup for the UAAP Season 89 boys’ basketball tournament.
Cabañero himself confirmed the development to Tiebreaker Times on Saturday morning.
“After winning a championship with Letran, I realized na malaking part pa rin ng growth ko and journey ko is here in UST. Marami akong natutunan during my stay in Letran, and I’m very thankful sa buong Letran community, especially sa SGA to Boss Frank and Boss Jacob Lao, Fr. Vic [Calvo], to all the teachers, Coach Andrew [Estrella] and the whole coaching staff for helping me grow both as a player and as a person,” he expressed.
“Sobrang grateful ako for the experience and memories na nabuo ko there. Pero at the end of the day, I felt like coming back to UST was the best decision for me, not just as a player, but also as a person and a student.”
Over his time away from España, Cabañero played a key role in the Squires’ championship run in the NCAA Season 101 juniors’ basketball tournament despite limited minutes. He posted averages of 3.27 points, 1.93 rebounds, 1.07 assists, and 0.67 steals across 15 games.
Before his NCAA stint, the Cebuano guard also honed his craft internationally, suiting up for Gilas Pilipinas Youth in the FIBA U16 Asia Cup. There, he averaged 6.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists across both tournaments.
For him, the return to UST under head coach Manu Iñigo and mentors Noli and Andy Mejos — along with the potential reunion with his younger brother Nicolaii and the chance to continue the Cabañero legacy at UST — made the decision a no-brainer.
“Sobrang thankful ako kina Fr. Rodel, D’Generals, Coach Manu, and the coaching staff for welcoming me back here in UST. Masaya rin ako kasi makakasama ko ulit yung younger brother ko here in UST. I think malaking blessing yun for both of us,” Cabañero shared.
“Siyempre, we’ll keep pushing and motivating each other every day, on and off the court. And following the footsteps of my kuya Nic, malaking inspiration siya for us growing up. We’ve seen firsthand yung hard work and sacrifices niya, so gusto rin namin dalhin yung same mindset and represent UST the best way we can.”
When he left the Tiger Cubs to join the Andrew Estrella-mentored Squires, UST Institute of Physical Education and Athletics director Fr. Rodel Cansancio, O.P. assured Cabañero that the program would keep the door open for his eventual return.
“We are keeping the door open for his potential return once he has addressed these issues. For now, we are wishing him success and growth in his new academic endeavors,” Cansancio previously told Tiebreaker Times.
(C) Smart Sports
Now that the 16-year-old guard is back home with the Tiger Cubs, he is expected to make an immediate impact and help fill the void left by the graduation of Wacky Ludovice, Kirk Cañete, Charles Esteban, and Jetlee Melano.
To make up for lost time — and driven by his goal of continuing the legacy of Cañete and company at UST — Cabañero said he returns to the Tiger Cubs as a more complete player and person.
“Over the past year, especially with my experience sa Gilas and winning a championship in Letran, I think I improved a lot both as a player and as a person. As a player, mas nag-improve yung decision-making ko and shooting ko. I learned how to stay composed and make smarter plays on the court,” he said.
“As a person naman, mas naging aware ako na hindi lang basketball ang importante, student first before athlete talaga.”
