PBA player Allein Maliksi couldn’t help but share his collegiate experience playing for University of Santo Tomas in light of the school’s controversy involving its men’s basketball team.
In a Facebook post, the two-time PBA All Star said academic scholarship and a chance to play in the UAAP were enough for him and his teammates to achieve their basketball dreams.
He was also thankful for the hardships that they faced as a varsity player – from eating meager meals to staying in dorms without aircon – saying it helped him reach his dream to become a PBA player.
“Siomai rice lang recovery meal na. Gusto mo footlong na madaming gravy. Or adobo na kasing labnaw ng sinigang may pawis pa ni Mariong Pilay ang sabaw,” wrote Maliksi, who was part of the Tigers from 2008 to 2010.
Maliksi joined Dylan Ababou, Jervy Cruz, Japs Cuan, to name a few, under coach Pido Jarencio, now head coach of PBA team NorthPort.
“Dorm namin walang aircon. Lahat ng usok ng España masinghot mo. Kami pa magco-collect ng basura ng mga bulok na pagkain at maglinis ng public CR. Basta makalaro lang at makagraduate. Ayos na.”
“Namura nako ng coach ko, nasigawan, nasampal, nabatukan, na-combo pa dati. Ayun, madami akong natutunan at naabot ko PBA dream ko. Wala lang, share ko lang. Sarap at saya ng experience naming na yun eh.”
UST has been the center of investigation of the Joint Administrative Order Group, Commission on Higher Education and UAAP after videos of their alleged training bubble in Sorsogon surfaced online.
The issue intensified when former UST skipper CJ Cansino, who transferred to University of the Philippines a day after he was reportedly removed from the squad, posted an alleged online group chat showing him and the Tigers’ situation in the training bubble including the food being served to them.