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Strong Group's Lastimosa looks forward to team up with UAAP co-stars

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Levi Joshua Verora Jr 

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Jerom Lastimosa during practice. Photo by Richard Esguerra, ABS-CBN Sports" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/01/15/20230115-lastimosa.jpg"/><figcaption>Jerom Lastimosa during practice. Photo by Richard Esguerra, ABS-CBN Sports</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines -- More than playing alongside former NBA players, the prospect of teaming up with his UAAP opponents under Strong Group Realty excites Adamson University (AdU) star guard Jerom Lastimosa.Lastimosa is among several UAAP standouts who will be part of the selection bound for the Dubai International Basketball Tournament 2023 later this month, where the Philippines hopes to defend its crown.&quot;Para sa akin, masarap rin pala sila maging kakampi. Sa collegiate, naglalaban kayo, at sobrang challenging. Noong naging magkakampi kami ngayon, mabilis lang rin pala ang chemistry buuin,&quot; Lastimosa mentioned shortly after Strong Group&#x27;s practice session last week.Joining Lastimosa from his mother league are the likes of BJ Andrade, Ange Kouame, Francis Lopez, Inand Fornillos, and Jacob Lao from Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), Justine Baltazar of De La Salle University (DLSU), and JD Cagulangan of the University of the Philippines (UP).<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/11/23/strong-group-adds-lopez-lastimosa-for-dubai-tourney">Strong Group adds Francis Lopez, Jerom Lastimosa for Dubai tourney</a></li></ul>Other names part of the lineup are reigning NCAA Most Valuable Player Will Gozum, his St. Benilde teammate Migs Oczon, and Fil-American guard Sedrick Barefield.The team coached by Charles Tiu is bannering former NBA champion Nick Young, Shabazz Muhammad, and ex-Alab Pilipinas import Renaldo Balkman as reinforcements.It was Tiu who reached out to Lastimosa to be part of the team&#x27;s guard rotation.&quot;A lot of (collegiate) guys want to play. In fact, I got so many calls,&quot; the Blazers mentor shared.&quot;It’s a great honor for them to represent the Philippines. We just had to get clearance from the UAAP and NCAA to allow the players before we’d announce. Some guys, we wanted but they couldn’t go because may school obligations sila. It wasn’t that hard to get players.&quot;<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/08/22/uaap-for-coach-nash-jerom-lastimosa-is-gilas-ready">For Nash Racela, Adamson guard Lastimosa is Gilas-ready</a></li></ul>And so far, it has been an encouraging experience for the &quot;King Falcon&quot;.&quot;Sobrang sarap sa feeling kasi kasali ako dito sa team na ito. Sobrang saya dahil mare-represent ko ang bansa natin. Isang karangalan na makapaglaro (kasama) ang mga ex-NBA players,&quot; Lastimosa said.Winner of the Bankable Player Award in Season 85, Lastimosa averaged 15.0 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.0 steals for the Soaring Falcons which he led to the Final Four.His Blue Eagles counterpart, Andrade, shares mutual regard and believes their familiarity from facing each other in many battles in the UAAP will be beneficial as Strong Group continues to build cohesion ahead of the Dubai tilt.“It’s really fun to be here since they’re all familiar faces and we know how good we are together on the floor,&quot; Andrade shared.Memorably, it was the Ateneo Blue Eagles which knocked the Adamson Soaring Falcons out of the UAAP Season 85 Final Four, before eventually winning their fourth men&#x27;s basketball championship in five seasons.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/03/23/uaap-lastimosa-to-return-to-adamson-for-season-86">UAAP: Jerom Lastimosa to return to Adamson for Season 86</a></li></ul>&quot;As a group, we can help the other guys acclimate to one another and share what we see on the court to them.&quot;The Dubai tournament will tip off on January 27 and will feature the best clubs from the Middle East and Northern Africa.Back in 2020, Tiu coached a Mighty Sports selection which included Gilas Pilipinas center Andray Blatche and eventual MVP Balkman to a perfect 7-0 record to win it all -- the country&#x27;s first-ever crown in the annual tourney&#x27;s three-decade existence.<div>RELATED VIDEO</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ORa1wzm5NIs?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The prospect of teaming up with his UAAP opponents under Strong Group Realty excites Adamson University (AdU) star guard Jerom Lastimosa.