Sen. Joel Villanueva is excited to see his former collegiate teammate Bal David to coach the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers for the upcoming UAAP Season.
"I can’t wait to see him coach and use his decades of experience in the PBA to rebuild our team. I guess I speak for all Thomasians. We are all excited to see 'The Flash,' and the Legend, the former point guard of Barangay Ginebra, lead the Growling Tigers to the top," said Villanueva, who once was part of a UST champion team alongside David in 1995.
Villanueva recalled David's heroics in their finals showdown against La Salle where the latter sank two clutch free throws which paved the way for UST's back-to-back title.
The former national team cager-turned-senator said David's clutch play back then became a "definining moment" for him as a basketball player.
"Years of hard work, discipline, and consistently striving to perfect his craft shaped his professional career in the PBA," added Villanueva.
"I can attest to this because I have known Bal for a long time. We played together in high school and then again in college for three years. I have seen with my own eyes how the difficulties of life transformed him into the person and the basketball player that he is."
The former Tiger added that David is the "most fit and suitable" candidate to steer the team and could be deemed as some sort of homecoming for him.
David, who had two PBA championships with the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, has replaced Jinino Manansala at the helm as the Tigers ranked seventh in UAAP Season 84 under the latter's tutelage.
UST is still in the rebuilding process following the controversy it encountered last 2020. ###