After two tumultuous seasons with University of the East during UAAP Seasons 84 and 85, sweet-shooting guard Kyle Paranada felt it was time for a change of scenery, transferring to University of Santo Tomas.
Despite having a full year to acclimate to the Growling Tigers’ system under head coach Pido Jarencio – alongside teammates Nic Cabanero, Mo Tounkara, and Forthsky Padrigao – the 24-year-old guard admitted he faced significant challenges adjusting to Jarencio’s style.
However, Paranada’s hard work and determination to study the system and adapt to what was once an unfamiliar environment finally paid off.
He had a standout performance in UST’s 79-70 victory over Far Eastern University on Sunday evening at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The former Red Warrior contributed 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting – entirely in the second half – along with two assists and one rebound.
His efforts helped the Growling Tigers snap a three-game losing streak and secure fourth place with a 5-6 record.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“It’s a big confidence booster because I see the ball go inside the hoop, so it’s good for my next games. We got three more games, so yeah, it’s good,” shared the Montgomery High School product.
“I’ll say that this is a good win for us to build momentum for the following games because we just lost three in a row, and this is our first win in the second round. So this will be good momentum for the future.”
While acknowledging the need for improvement, Paranada felt relieved to finally have a breakout game in his first year with UST after struggling through his first ten outings in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Tournament.
His early-season difficulties – combined with lackluster performances during the Growling Tigers’ three-game skid – saw him averaging just 3.8 points on a mere 35.29-percent shooting clip.
“It’s a big confidence booster because I see the ball go inside the hoop, so it’s good for my next games. We got three more games, so yeah, it’s good… That was all thanks to my coaches; they just told me to keep attacking and create for others,” he concluded.
“That’s what they want me to do because they know I’m good offensively, so that’s what they want me to do.”
