JD Cagulangan dreamed of a life full of green – but challenges and circumstances prompted him to change his shade of green and mix it with maroon.
Now a very recognizable name in basketball, his legend started in La Salle Green Hills – leading the school to the NCAA Season 93 Juniors’ Basketball crown in his penultimate year in the high school ranks. That was the Greenies’ first title in NCAA history and remains to be the only one.
LSGH just barely cracked the Final Four then, beating San Sebastian in the playoff for the last semifinals slot before going on a Cinderella run by stunning top-ranked San Beda-Taytay twice in the semis, then proceeding to complete the improbable run by shocking second seed Malayan High School in three games in the Finals.
Cagulangan hit the eventual go-ahead free throws with 37.3 seconds to go in the winner-take-all Game 3 that completed the Greenies’ 14-point comeback over the Red Robins for the championship – and for that, he was named the Finals MVP.
Staying Loyal to Green and White
With his heroics in LSGH’s first and only title in the NCAA Juniors division, it was a no-brainer for Cagulangan to commit to De La Salle University in the UAAP for college.
A testament to how he wanted to remain in Green and White was when he committed to DLSU even before his final year with LSGH when he was pulled in by Green Archers booster Justice Andres Reyes, Jr.
The pride of Butuan then finished his high school career as the league MVP but it came bittersweet as Malayan regained the throne with a three-game victory over LSGH in the Finals.
That became extra motivation for Cagulangan when he headed to DLSU for his rookie year back in Season 82.
However, despite his status being a proven shotmaker during his high school years, what happened with his rookie season was short of what was expected.
Cagulangan found himself at the end of the bench in his first year with La Salle under the tutelage of Jermaine Byrd and Gian Nazario, only playing 34 minutes across four games with totals of just three points, 12 rebounds, four steals, and three assists.
Finding a Home in Maroon
With his limited minutes with La Salle, Cagulangan decided to transfer to University of the Philippines shortly after their Season 82 campaign hoping to find greener pastures in the Green and Maroon.
But his time with the Fighting Maroons needed to wait a bit due to the pandemic but what a pleasant gift he became when the league resumed play in 2022 for Season 84.
From becoming a bench warmer in La Salle, Cagulangan instantly etched his name in UP lore in Season 84 – ending a 36-year championship drought with a shot heard around the nation.
“For the championship. Cash money.”
Cagulangan drained a stepback triple over the outstretched arms of Gian Mamuyac in the dying seconds to lift the Fighting Maroons to a 72-69 win in Game 3 of the Season 84 Finals over the Ateneo Blue Eagles for their first crown since Season 49 (1986).
But UP was brought down to earth the next two seasons as Ateneo and La Salle won Seasons 85 and 86 titles, respectively, at the expense of the Maroons.
With one final season in his bag, Cagulangan made sure to go all out and cement his legacy in Diliman.
And in the most storybook ending-like fashion, his final moment in the UAAP was against his former team.
A Legacy in Diliman
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Cagulangan led UP to the championship with a 66-62 escape in Game 3 of the Season 87 Finals on Sunday night in front of a 25,248 record crowd inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Wala akong masabi kundi thank you. Sobrang happy ko na napunta ako sa programang ito. Winelcome nila ako nang maayos at deserve ng UP na manalo this season,” said Cagulangan, one of few players in UP basketball history to become two-time champions.
“Gusto ko magthank you kay coach Gold. Nagtiwala siya. Di nya man ako naging player pero ‘yung tiwala niya nandoon. ‘Yung coaching staff, and of course, ‘yung teammates ko, yung sponsors. Andon of course, sa family ko, sa kanila ako kumukuha ng lakas. Saka kay Tito Frank, sa Lao family. Sobrang thank you sa pag-guide,” he continued, giving praise to his support system.
“Thank you talaga. Wala kaong masabi kasi nao-overwhelm ako sa suporta kahit saan kami magpunta. Thank you.”
Making him worthy of a legendary status in Diliman, or even being considered as one of the greatest ever to do it in UP, was being named as the Finals MVP of the series after norming 13.66 points, 4.33 rebounds, and 4.66 assists in the series that went the distance against the Kevin Quiambao-led Green Archers.
With his collegiate career’s ending finally sinking into the 24-year-old out of Agusan del Norte, he was at peace knowing that he gave it all despite life’s unfair circumstances at times.
“Sabi nga ni Coach Gold, life is not fair. Tumatak sa akin yun kasi may mga instances talaga sa journey namin ni Coach Gold na ups and downs talaga eh so na-realize ko na oo nga ‘no, life is not fair so sa lahat ng mga ginagawa mo, kailangan mong ibigay yung 100 percent mo para masabi mo sa sarili mo na ginawa mo lahat, na wala kang pagsisisihan,” said Cagulangan.
“Although may mga struggles ka, kailangan mo lang i-overcome yun and maniwala na kaya mo.”
It was a perfect ending for Cagulangan’s student-athlete era as the people that gave him a chance, and the people that gave him the opportunity to grow were all on the court after confetti fell and the Fighting Maroons won.
He made sure to give respect to the managers and boosters of La Salle, most of which were already there during his high school in Green Hills and one year in Taft.
Then there were the boosters and managers of UP.
To cap off what is now a legendary collegiate career – he sang UP Naming Mahal as a two-time champion, then joined his Lasallian brothers in singing the Alma Mater Hymn.
A Storybook Ending
From the Green of LSGH to the Maroon of UP, JD Cagulangan’s journey has been nothing short of legendary.
Despite the challenges, he proved that perseverance and heart can overcome even the toughest odds.
