UV Green Lancer Jancork Cabahug is set to join the UP Fighting Maroons next week. Above is Cabahug in action during the Cesafi 2019 Game 1 tussle between UV-SWU. | CDN Digital file photo
Sportsmanship is the number one value that Raul Jancork Cabahug will be bringing with him when he finally joins his new team, the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons, a week from now.
“Through the guidance of my coaches in UV (University of the Visayas) like Coach Pepito (Delfin), Coach Gary (Cortes) and Coach Jomags (Maglasang), I really learned the value of sportsmanship,” said the 21-year-old Cabahug.
Cabahug added that he also learned to work hard and to “double time” in training.
“One thing also that I would bring to UP with me is what Coach Gary taught me which is to be a vocal leader and also a good listener,” said Cabahug.
Cabahug comes from a long line of basketball players which includes one of the PBA greats, Elmer Cabahug, who is his uncle, his father, Corky, and his uncle, Keken, who are all also products of the vaunted UV Green Lancers.
Cabahug would have been comfortable to remain as a Green Lancer as receiving offers from universities in Manila are nothing new to him as he has been getting them even when he was still with the UV Baby Lancers, the school’s secondary basketball varsity team.
UP Fighting Maroons’ offer
However, it had seemed timely that the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) has decided to cancel its season for this year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic that the UP Fighting Maroons made him an offer.
“An opportunity was presented by UP. Our family had a proper meeting about it. It’s a matter of family decision,” said Cabahug of his decision.
Having been with UV for seven years from high school to college, Cabahug said he also wanted to be exposed to a new environment.
“Also to let myself grow both in basketball and my personal life. It was also timely that Cesafi cancelled its season which pushed my transfer,” Cabahug further said.
According to Cabahug, he has been meeting with his teammates via Zoom, since their classes have already started in September. He is currently on the first year of his Bachelor of Physical Education course.
He said that he decided to go with UP because the coaches were Bisaya as well as some players like Conrad Catapusan and Carl Tamayo.
Former UV Green Lancers, who also became UAAP stars while playing for UP, were Jun Manzo and Paul Desiderio.
He admits to feeling a bit pressured because of the achievements of UV Green Lancers players who made their mark in the UAAP most recent of which was Rey Anthony Suerte.
“A bit pressured but I will do what I can to help the team,” quipped Cabahug.
Cabahug said he owes a lot to UV and he is very grateful to them.
He added that he had asked the permission of not only the coaches but also of UV athletic director Chris Mejarito because he had a lot of respect for them.
Cabahug said he would miss his teammates, and people who were always supporting the team like RJ Villarosa and Monica “Inday” Sumaljag.
Starting Young
It is not surprising that Cabahug chose basketball as his sport as he had a lot within his family to look up to.
He said that he first played in inter-sitio leagues in Barangay Looc in Mandaue City where his family resided.
And, because he always tags along with his father in his games, he also became a player from the mini midget to the midget division in the Mayors Cup, a basketball tournament organized by Mandaue City as one of its activities in the celebration of its annual fiesta.
In 2013, Cabahug tried his luck in UV where he made it after Coach Pepito and Coach Bongkie Bongcaras saw his potential.
While his father and uncle played for UV under Coach Pepito, Cabahug also started his varsity career under the same coach.
Cabahug said that aside from the influence of his family, he also chose to stick with basketball because he got to meet many friends.
Another big reason why he also stuck with basketball is because of his grandfather whom he calls Daddy Pokang, who never misses to watch his games along with his wife, whom Cabahug calls his Mommy Edith.
Cabahug said that he was very grateful to his grandparents with whom he had been with since he was still a six-month old baby.
They support him 101 percent and have never been absent from his games even when he is playing outside of Cebu.
Trophies and Special Awards
While he failed to bag a Cesafi title with the UV Baby Lancers finishing only second in 2014 and third in 2015 and 2016, this was compensated when he finally moved up to the UV Green Lancers with whom he won back-to-back Cesafi titles in 2017 and 2018 and a runner-up honor in 2019.
Cabahug also has a string of special awards to his name, All Star MVP 2015, All Star Mythical 5 2015, Cesafi Mythical 5 2015, Cesafi Mythical 5 2016 in his secondary years and All-Star MVP 2019, All-Star Mythical 5 2019 and Cesafi Mythical 5 2019.
He also made it to the Top 24 of the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) in 2015 and 2016./dbs