THE University of the East Red Warriors have lost quite a number of players in a chaotic offseason, but promising prospects are slowly coming in.
Two of the new recruits are Filipino-Canadians Jack and Hunter Cruz-Dumont, who may have spent most of their young lives in Vancouver in Canada but hold a deep connection to Philippine basketball because of their father.
The late John Dumont, you see, was a 6-4 forward who played for the Pasig Pirates in the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA). He inspired his sons to take up the game and the two have now followed in their father's footsteps, taking their act to the Philippines.
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“Our dad will always be our biggest inspiration in our basketball careers," said Hunter. "For as long as I can remember, he put a basketball in our hands, and he definitely sparked the love my brothers and I all have for this game.
“He had a vision for my brothers and I to one day get to experience it and it’s something we would always talk about, so I know he’s looking down on us enjoying it all.”
When presented with the chance to play in the Philippines, the brothers jumped on the opportunity offered by UE head coach Jack Santiago.
“We saw his strong desire to grow the UE program and I believe we have the same vision for the team. Personally, he’s put a lot of trust in me since the beginning which I am grateful for,” said Jack Dumont of the Red Warriors coach.
Jack Dumont, who obtained his undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia (UBC), is a 6-2 guard/forward who is a very creative player and one that can play and defend multiple positions on the court. The 22-year-old averaged 5.3 points, 3.1 assists, 2.9 rebounds in 20 minutes of play in his final UBC season.
The younger Hunter is a 6-5 forward with a high basketball IQ. The 20-year-old will be eligible to play for the Red Warriors in Season 87 after his residency since transferring in from Simon Fraser University.
Jack has steadily acclimated himself well to the collegiate game in the country, averaging 8.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists in 31 minutes for the Warriors in the recently concluded Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup.
Hunter has not featured much due to a foot injury but is following a rigorous rehabilitation program and is expected to be back soon.
UE experienced a resurgence in UAAP Season 85 when it finished with a 5-9 win-loss record. However, the Red Warriors took a big step backwards after losing core pieces in Luis Villegas, Gani Stevens, Harvey Pagsanjan, and the Paranada brothers.
The Cruz-Dumont brothers choose not to dwell on the exodus, claiming the current crop of Red Warriors have a chance to do great things this coming season.
“I am aware that there are some key guys that are no longer in the team but we’re focused on the future and who is with us,” said Hunter. “The program is definitely moving in the right direction. I know that we can be a top school in the UAAP.”
“I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people this year. We have a lot of different pieces and right now we’re just learning to put it all together,” Jack added.
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