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After playing pro, Ateneo's Slaughter back in college for his degree


It’s a long four-day weekend but instead of relaxing, the UAAP's leading MVP candidate Greg Slaughter is catching up on schoolwork before basketball practice. If you think about a basketball player’s career, it should go something like college to professional to international. Well he doesn’t believe in that. Here’s this seven-footer who has already played in the PBA with Pilipinas Smart Gilas – why would he still want to play in the collegiate ranks? “I wanted to finish my degree," he answers matter-of-factly, as if he’d thought about this decision five million times before. Juggling tough academics with championship-level sports, he wants to have something secure and tangible in his future – his Ateneo diploma. After playing for the University of the Visayas in 2007-2009, Greg signed up with the Ateneo Blue Eagles. He started his residency in 2010 and was declared eligible to play in the 2011 season. Although he is good enough to be a pro, Slaughter doesn't see basketball as an end in itself. He is currently on his second year in Political Science, but is considering shifting to Economics. It shouldn’t be a problem though since he used to be in Accounting. He even kids that he “used to be good in Math." “MVP [Manny V. Pangilinan and Ateneo sports patron] graduated with a degree in Economics. Maybe one day I’ll get to be like him," he says. “Late bloomer"

After international and professional stints, Greg Slaughter is back in college playing for the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
When Greg was first recruited by Ateneo a couple of years ago, one school administrator told him, “When they told me you were 6’11", I didn’t believe them!" to which he replied, “Father, I’m 7" now." "My dad's 6'3" while my mom's 5'7". They're averagely tall. I think I just got lucky. My dad used to say my mom ate a lot of ice cream when she was pregnant with me. I think that was what made me tall," he kids. Born and raised in Virginia, Greg moved to his mom's hometown in Cebu in 2007. It was there that his maternal uncles introduced him to competitive basketball. "They said, 'You're so big. You have to play basketball!'" he recalls. A late bloomer, Greg was already 16-years-old and 6'6" when he joined his first organized league. Cebu, however, didn’t prepare him much for the UAAP. He says Manila is such a hurried city compared to Cebu. The language was also a setback for him. While he’s a fluent Cebuano speaker, he knows very little Tagalog. But the biggest adjustment? Being a rookie once again under Coach Norman Black. Missing the rookie draft While seven of his teammates in Smart Gilas have already been drafted in the PBA – all in the first round – he’s back hitting the books. “I hope they have good careers. I’m happy they get to start their careers now," he says. Notably, there was no hint of regret on Greg’s face. He seemed genuinely happy with his friends getting drafted, and not at all impatient with his decision to play in the UAAP this year. “No regrets. The year I spent in Ateneo has been good. It was nice to work with Coach Norman and experience Ateneo basketball," he says. In fact, among all the leagues he’s played in, Greg enjoyed the UAAP most. From the support from the school to the competition, everything about it excited him. “I used to watch the UAAP on TV back in Cebu. I never thought I’d play there," he quips. Four-peat? “I attended the third bonfire last year and people were already so excited about the four-peat. As soon as the three-peat came, people were already saying four-peat," he recalls. Even before the season started, there had been pressure on the Blue Eagles. As they continued winning, the expectations mounted, especially on one of the go-to guys of a powerhouse team.
Greg Slaughter said he does not regret missing the PBA rookie draft this year and going back to school. "This year I spent in Ateneo has been good," he said. Photo by Vyn Radovan
“I’m the eldest on the team and I have the most experience so I feel like it’s my responsibility to really help the team win. Plus I have the height advantage," the 23 year old explains. Coach Norman is known for producing excellent big men such as last year’s top PBA rookie draftees Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Nonoy Baclao. Greg is a mix of these two guys – he has the offensive drive of Al-Hussaini and the defensive intimidation of Baclao. He makes up for his lack of speed with his resilience and aggressiveness under the post. You can give him three defenders but he will find a way to shoot that ball. According to PBA commentator and sports columnist Mico Halili, Greg's weakness is his footwork. Halili says: "Quicker opponents can still dribble past him. If he had Noy's defensive mobility, he could defend better and block more shots. Greg's best move is the jump-hook around the basket. It's almost impossible to block." As a big man, Slaughter idolizes fellow big men Asi Taulava and Tim Duncan. As for UAAP competition, he knows one thing for sure: Ateneo's storied rival La Salle is not playing the way they’re supposed to if they want to reclaim the championship. “I don’t know what’s up with La Salle. They beat us twice before the UAAP. So now, every time we go up against them I’m like, ‘Gosh, I hope we win this one.’" MVP race Greg is the only guy in recent basketball history to have professional and international experience before playing in the UAAP. That would make him a mature man among players barely out of adolescence. But the gentle giant in him makes sure he doesn’t manhandle the other players.
Despite his seven-foot frame and intimidating credentials, Greg has always been a good boy. He attempts to make an "angas" face and fails miserably.
“I just have more experience. Experience helps you handle situations, but you work with a team to win games. It’s not individual talent that wins championships," he says. His individual talent nonetheless make him a frontrunner in the Most Valuable Player statistical race – far ahead of reigning MVP RR Garcia (“I’m proud of myself, he’s a really good player," jokes Greg.). The bigger comparison is with his fellow Blue Eagle rookie Kiefer Ravena, who came into the league with Kobe Bryant-hype and is close behind him in the MVP race. “Kiefer and I don’t think about it much. We still practice and play the same way we did when the standings weren’t out yet. Besides, after my one year in the UAAP, he can have it for the next four years," he kids. UV, Gilas, PBA, UAAP, what next? Greg has been all over the place when it comes to basketball. “It’s a different game when it’s international. The size is different," he notes. If people stare at him in public here in Manila for being so tall, some foreign players actually look down at him – literally. “In the PBA, the quarters are longer and the players are older. In the UAAP, I play against people my age," he adds. It’s safe to say that Greg has found his niche in the UAAP. It’s also safe to say that even without an MVP award, he has a lot of options when it comes to his basketball career. He can go back to Gilas if the program extends, play another year in Ateneo, or immediately join the PBA Rookie Draft next year. Everything is still up in the air though. The only thing he’s sure of is that he wants to finish a degree no matter where his basketball career takes him. That means on long weekends, he's striving to pass his math subjects aside from improving his footwork. — OMG/HS, GMA News
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