Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws loaded up their pool after acquiring the multi-awarded Cebuano forward and former University of Santo Tomas (UST) Tiger Cub Rojan Montemayor for the upcoming University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) season 85 men’s basketball tourney.

In the recently-concluded Pilipinas Super League (PSL) U21 Division, the blue chip recruit of the Morayta dribblers helped the Consolacion Sarok Weavers in bagging the coveted championship title wherein he was named as the Finals Most Valuable Player.

Now that he chose to don the green-and-gold jersey, Montemayor shared that it was Consolacion Coach and FEU alumnus Paul Flores who helped him to join the Morayta-based squad.

“Inaantay ko lang din po ‘yung opportunity na mapansin po ako ng FEU at ‘yun nga nung nalaman ko po na ‘yung coach namin; si coach Paul Flores ay taga-FEU, siya po ‘yung nagshovel sa’kin, siya ‘yung nagrefer sa’kin dito po talaga sa FEU (I'm just waiting for the opportunity for FEU to notice me and that's when I found out about our coach; coach Paul Flores is from FEU, he was the one who shoved me, he was the one who referred me here to FEU),” the Cebuano standout said in an online interview with FEU Advocate.

The admiration with former Tamaraws also loomed to be integral in Montemayor’s decision to join FEU as he admittedly mentioned that he was profoundly looking up to the former King Tamaraw and UAAP season 65 Rookie of the Year Arwind Santos.

“Tinitingala ko pong basketball player syempre si Arwind Santos… ‘Yung puso sa laro and professionalism sa kanyang career at kung paano niya pinapabuti ‘yung craft niya tapos ‘yung hustle and dedication sa laro niya, ‘yon ‘yung nagustuhan ko po (I look up to basketball player Arwind Santos, of course... His heart in the game and professionalism in his career while also working hard to better his craft, hustling [here and there] and dedication to his game, that’s what I liked about him),” Montemayor stated.

Despite the recent news of the Tamaraws losing its top player RJ Abarrientos, the 21-year-old remained optimistic that they could still do well by working hard and keeping in mind the roles given to them.

“Syempre, bago [ako sa team] kailangan ko rin mag-adjust, it takes time and dedication to adjust and fit sa system, especially FEU is a winning team (Of course, I am new [to the team] I have to adjust, it takes time and dedication to adjust and fit in a system, especially FEU is a winning team),” Montemayor said.

The prized rookie recruit did not promise a thing or two, but highlighted the business they have to represent the green-and-gold community.

“Every game, ipaglalaban po namin ‘yung FEU while representing the school and also the community tsaka ‘yung mga ginagawa namin para sa FEU (Every game we will fight for FEU while representing the school and also the community as well what we do [is] for FEU),” he shared.

The FEU Tamaraws will seek to clinch their ninth straight Final Four appearance in the upcoming UAAP season 85.

-Adrian Earl E. Taruc

(Photo courtesy of Rojan Montemayor)