By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Negrense cagers Jid Locsin and Chris John Cabrales, currently playing for the Western Visayas (WV) secondary boys’ basketball team, are set to transfer to the National University (NU) Nazareth School Bullpups.

Locsin and Cabrales, both from Negros Occidental’s La Carlota City, will serve as an added boost to the guard position of the Bullpups, which are aiming to bounce back from back-to-back runner-up finishes in the UAAP boys’ basketball tournament.

The two Negrense cagers are part of the Hua Siong College of Iloilo Red Phoenix high school basketball team, representing the region in Palarong Pambansa in Cebu City.

“I am personally happy and proud that they will now reach their dreams of playing in Manila with NU,” WV secondary boys basketball head coach Vincent Conlu said.

“Their hard work in our daily practices has paid off,” he added.

Conlu, who was also a former varsity player for the Far Eastern University Tamaraws in UAAP before, said Locsin can still play for a year with the Bullpups, while Cabrales is still good for two seasons.

“Both of them are going in Grade 11, but Jid will only be eligible for a year, while Cabrales, kaya pa ng two [seasons],” Conlu said.

“It is also an opportunity for them to improve further and be ready for college,” he added.

There are now seven former Red Phoenix players on the Bullpups’ roster, namely Negrense Thomas Pillado, Ricky Murillo, Matt Laurence Acosta, Roy Malaga, and Rymanuel Montinola./ASC, WDJ