DARYL Nazareno’s search for a basketball home that will breathe new life into his stalled collegiate basketball career has brought him to the Southwestern University Cobras camp.
A talented wingman who was once considered to be one of the country’s top prospects after starring at juniors hoops powerhouse San Beda, Nazareno has seen his career go nowhere.
Nazareno had a storied high school career that saw him win a championship in the NCAA while playing alongside the likes of former UAAP Rookie of the Year Arvin Tolentino, Francis Abarcar, Van Abatayo and Radge Tongco.
Nazareno’s stock was considerably high that he even played in the country’s first-ever national high school all-star game back in 2012, a talented crop bannered by Jeron Teng.
However, while his batchmates went on to become credible players at the collegiate level, Nazareno toiled in San Beda’s Team B before returning to his former school, the University of San Carlos.
But that stint proved to be shortlived as well. “Last summer, wala ko dawata sa USC because nagka-problema akong transcript of records from San Beda,” shared Nazareno in an exclusive interview with Cebu Daily News.
Still, Nazareno did not let that deter him from chasing his basketball ambitions, leading him to join a Cobras squad that is currently looking to shore up its roster after a failed title defense campaign last year.
“Ganahan man gyud ko mo padayon basketball. Since Coach Mike (Reyes) is there and also, he is my former coach sa grade school pa ko sa USC South,” added Nazareno.
Reyes, the school’s athletic director though, divulged that Nazareno will not be able to suit up for the Cobras this season as he is still lacking the needed units to qualify.
He will however, be qualified to play for the Cobras next year and that his most lethal skill – shooting – will greatly help an SWU squad that at times, was bereft of the aforementioned.