SJ Belangel

WRITTEN BY NEAL R. BELTRAN

It felt like winning a basketball game wherein I was able to make everyone around me happy.

DURING HIS childhood in Bacolod, SJ Belangel (4 AB IS) dreamt of graduating from Ateneo and playing basketball for the Blue Eagles. Years later, SJ would go on to win two titles as a student-athlete for Ateneo in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Men’s Basketball Tournament.

In his four years as an undergraduate, SJ exemplified perseverance as he exhibited patience and a tireless work ethic to achieve his goals.

UP-AND-COMING

After being the three-year starter at point guard for the Ateneo Blue Eaglets and winning the UAAP Season 80 Juniors Championship, SJ seemed poised to immediately contribute when he moved to the Seniors division. However, SJ struggled and played sparingly in his rookie season as he faced a logjam in the depth chart.

Despite falling short of his expectations, SJ recalled learning the importance of performing his tasks and staying patient. “I didn’t have a good rookie year, but I knew that I just have to be patient and fulfill whatever my team needs, especially as a backup point guard,” he shares.

Thankfully for SJ, his patience quickly paid off as he improved to become a steady contributor in his second season, where they clinched the UAAP Season 82 crown. SJ credited his development to the coaches and veterans in helping him get acclimated with Head Coach Tab Baldwin’s system.

“I was able to adjust thanks to teammates such as Mike and Matt Nieto who helped me understand what I need to do in the system, and the coaches who helped me in adjusting with the system and improving my skills,” he states. With the starting point guard spot newlyvacated, a promising SJ was primed to have a breakout season in his third season. However, the restrictions brought by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of Season 83, halting SJ’s supposed breakthrough before it even began.

COMPETING DURING THE PANDEMIC

In his third year, the uncertainty of whether the UAAP will hold a season during the pandemic was challenging for SJ because it induced a roller-coaster of emotions. “That time was difficult because everything was paused and with the pandemic going back-and-forth, it was easy to lose hope but at the same time I had to stay ready,” he explains.

While the unpredictability could have steered SJ into hopelessness, he stayed prepared by keeping in proper form. “I stayed in shape by hiring a nutritionist and a weights coach to help me build my strength and keep me on track with the workouts that I needed to do,” he adds.

SJ’s readiness eventually became fruitful when he earned a call-up from Gilas Pilipinas to compete in the 2022 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia Cup qualifiers and the 2020 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. In his stint with Gilas Pilipinas, SJ crafted several memorable moments, including a buzzer-beating threepointer to win against South Korea and qualify for the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup.

After spending time with the National Team, SJ reunited with the Blue Eagles for UAAP Season 84. As a fourth-year player armed with invaluable experience, SJ became the starting point guard that helped lead Ateneo to their fifth consecutive finals berth. However, the Blue Eagles wound up losing to the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons in heartbreaking fashion despite SJ’s 27-point outburst in Game 3 of the Finals. Playing in UAAP Season 84 amid the COVID-19 pandemic as a graduating student was also hard for SJ as it entailed living in a bubble for several months. Facing a compressed schedule involving playing games thrice a week and practicing in between, it became difficult for SJ to juggle academics and basketball, which took a toll on his health.

“I struggled mentally because I wasn’t accustomed to missing classes and not contributing to Canvas discussion boards in addition to managing our team’s performance on the court,” he states.

Since then, SJ has overcome through aid from those close to him. “When the season ended, I was able to focus more on my academics, and with the help of my teachers, classmates, and my girlfriend, I was able to catch up,” he adds.

EXCITING TIMES AHEAD

After an arduous journey on-and-off the court, SJ is set to fulfill his childhood dream of obtaining his undergraduate degree from Ateneo. He likens his graduation to the euphoria of a victory in basketball. “It felt like winning a basketball game wherein I was able to make everyone around me happy,” he recalls.

SJ has established a new dream moving forward, which is to play professional basketball internationally. SJ will also be able to realize this goal soon as he is slated to play for the Daegu KOGAS Pegasus in the next Korean Basketball League season. He shares, “For me, I’ve fulfilled one of my dreams to play internationally. I’m very excited to showcase the skills I’ve learned in the Philippines and to represent the country in Korea.”