SJ Belangel takes pride in becoming first Pinoy to make it to Korean Basketball League

SJ Belangel will be the first among what’s expected to be several Filipino players in South Korea’s professional basketball scene — and the honor is not lost on the young basketball star.

“I’m super happy that I’ll be the first Filipino player to play in Korea, pero at the same time excited. Not only that I’m representing myself, my family, I’m also representing the country pati na rin yung school,” the former Ateneo Blue Eagle told GMA News Online, and he said he will wait for his call-up after his graduation from Ateneo, where he finished Interdisciplinary Studies.

“I’m super excited and blessed na I’m gonna be the first player to play in Korea. Hopefully, I’m going to inspire other athletes dreaming of playing there.”

Belangel, a 5-foot-10 point guard, made his imprint on Korean basketball when he banked in a buzzer-beating three-point basket that sent Gilas Pilipinas past the South Korean national team in last year’s FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.

Since the news broke of his agreeing to sign a two-year deal with Daegu KOGAS Pegasus in the Korean Basketball League, another fellow collegiate star in RJ Abarrientos of Far Eastern University has been reported to be signing with a KBL team as well.

Belangel believes that others are being courted also, and some may follow suit in the future.

“Sina Rhenz Abando and Dave Ildefonso, I think si Ricci Rivero kinukuha rin po. Feel ko marami rin po ang kinukuha,” said Belangel in the phone interview.

Belangel, who will forego two playing years with Ateneo for this opportunity, leads this crop of Filipino imports ready to take their talents to Korea, much like Thirdy Ravena, Kiefer Ravena, Dwight Ramos, Ray Parks, and Kobe Paras did with the Japan B.League before them.

In the KBL, Belangel will join his former FIBA rival, Doo Kyung-min, to form the deadly backcourt combination for the Pegasus. Doo is a former KBL Most Valuable Player, who also won a championship with Sanmu four years ago.

But while Belangel is excited to embark on his new career, playing for Gilas Pilipinas remains to be a priority as well.

“If tinawag naman ako ng Gilas, puwede naman akong maglaro. If in-season naman, hindi nagko-call up yung Gilas. Just like sa Japan. Parang the same rin yung situation. Yung league is for eight months, then puwede naman akong umuwi,” he added.

According to Belangel, the skill set of Filipino players, will be valuable for their clubs, especially once the Pinoy players are able to assimilate with the team-oriented play of Korean basketball.

“Siguro feel ko, that says well about the Philippines. Tayo kasi naka-focused tayo sa isolation basketball. Normally, yun ang nakikita nila sa Philippines. Pagdating natin doon sa international level, mai-improve natin yung team na kumuha sa atin na focused naman sa team basketball,” said Belangel. 

“For me, yun yung nakikita nila sa skill set ng Filipino basketball players once they get there, kung gaano katalino yung Pinoy players. Nakikita rin nila kung gaano ka-willing yung mga Pinoy players to learn team basketball.”

—JMB, GMA News