Former USPF player Winston Ynot bags NBTC defensive player award

| photo from NBTC

Cebu City, Philippines — The defensive ferocity of one-time University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panther and current San Beda Red Cub Winston Ynot did not go unnoticed as he was deemed the Defensive Player of the Year in the Chooks to Go/NBTC 2019 National Finals on Sunday, March 24, 2019, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The 5-foot-11 Ynot, the Misamis Occidental-native who cut his teeth while playing for USPF in 2017, gained instant acclaim as he emphatically blocked the slam-dunk attempt of highly touted Filipino-American wingman Jalen Green during their Elite Eight game earlier this week.

In a talk with Cebu Daily News shortly after he received the award, Ynot relayed that he was shocked when he learned that he won the prestigious award.

“Ang  sarap ng pakiramdam kasi  ako pa yung napili na Defensive Player of the Year. Hindi ko rin ako makapaniwala kasi ang dami na man defensive player sa iba’t-ibang schools,” the soft-spoken wingman said.

(It’s a great feeling because I was chosen as the Defensive Player of the Year. I couldn’t believe it since there are a lot of defensive players from other schools.)

Ynot also shared that he doesn’t mind being tasked with defending the opposing team’s best offensive player as that has always been his game growing up.

“Diyan ako nasanay maglaro,” he said.

(That’s what I’m used to.)

Ynot also shared a little bit of defensive philosophy in taking on some of the country’s finest high school players.

“Stay low lang tapos dikitan mo lang  para hindi siya maka lusot or maka tira.” 

(Just stay low and stick to him so he can’t penetrate or shoot.) /bmjo