Ever since they were at De La Salle University, Camille Claro and Khate Castillo have been teammates.
And in 2019, the two were also called up by Gilas Women’s at the same time. They were even teammates with Paranaque during the inaugural season of the Women’s National Basketball League.
It’s not because of fate nor coincidence. Claro and Castillo are a package that can deliver when together.
That is why come the 2021 Women’s National Basketball League Draft on Saturday, they hope that they will be picked by the same team.
“Ako siyempre yung splash sisters ko si Camille Claro, hindi na kami naghihiwalay niyan eh,” Castillo said during an episode of So She Did! powered by SMART on who she wants to play with in the country’s first-ever professional league for women’s basketball.
“Khate din siyempre,” quipped Claro.
The duo has experienced both the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in La Salle. They have experienced playing in the UAAP Finals while also almost bottoming out.
And it’s those shared experiences that will definitely help the team that drafts them.
Claro even shared that she and Castillo sent their WNBL draft applications at the same time.
“Una nung nalaman kong magiging pro na yung WNBL actually una kong chinat si Khate eh kasi lagi kaming naguusap about doon tapos sabay kami nag-send nung draft tapos hindi kami nage-expect na makakasama kami doon sa list na 171 yata,” recalled Claro.
Both Claro and Castillo are already working with the latter having an online store business.
But when the WNBL gets going, the two guards are confident that they can balance things out. After all, having a domestic league will only lead to good things for the national team program.
“Para sa akin mas okay siya kasi parang dagdag experience din sa amin eh.
“Katulad nga kami ni Camille na parang rookie pa lang kami sa Philippine team so mas makakadagdag sa experience namin para may ma-apply kami na basketball skill sa ibang laban namin sa ibang bansa o dito. Magandang experience ulit,” said Castillo, part of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medal-winning team.
