FROM mannerisms to humor to their feisty personalities on the court, it's easy to assume that National University's Bella Belen and Detdet Pepito of the University of Santo Tomas are cut from the same cloth.
It's because they are.
Since their high school days competing in the UAAP juniors ranks, the two have always been vocal about a friendship that started in grade school and flourished despite being on opposing teams - UST Girls for Pepito and NU Girls for Belen.
READ Jaja gets technical in advice to current NU stars Belen, Solomon
As they moved to the seniors division in UAAP Season 84, Bella and Detdet became more and more like carbon copies of each other in terms of their funny antics, language, and style.
When they became two of the most popular players in the collegiate scene, Belen and Pepito remained open-minded talking about their rivalry and friendship.
And getting to this point of comfort, Belen reveals that their friendship withstood the test of time as they grew up on opposing sides.
"Friends kami since elementary pa, same school kami, nauna siyang mag-varsity sa 'kin, I think Grade 3 siya tapos Grade 4 ako," Belen told SPIN.ph, looking back on their days at the Lucas R. Pascual Elementary School in Quezon City.
Since they came from the same grassroots programs, Belen and Pepito grew even closer as they became exposed to different public school competitions. The eventually became teammates in the NCR team to the Palarong Pambansa.
"Dati nung elementary kasi 'di ba, uso 'yung in-house, sa school kami natutulog 'pag may laban kinabukasan, tapos tuluy-tuloy 'yun, isang week na kayo magkakasama," Belen said. "Talagang close kaya siguro na-adapt namin 'yung mannerism ng isa't isa, kasi laging magkasama."
The ROY-MVP said they've long waited for the chance to play in volleyball's grandest stage. Now that they're there, Belen and Pepito will have to cast their friendship aside while chasing the UAAP Season 86 championship.
"Marami kaming kaibigan sa UST, so we're very happy na sila 'yung makakalaban namin," Belen said, careful not to underestimate the fighting spirit of Pepito and the rest of the Tigresses. "'Yung UST, palaban, 'yung hunger nila, kita mo talaga."
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
