San Beda to Represent Philippines at ANTA KAI Tour in Jakarta

The San Beda Red Lions are headed to Indonesia to carry the Philippine flag on an international basketball stage.

ANTA Philippines has selected the reigning NCAA men’s basketball champions to represent the country at the ANTA KAI Tour-Jakarta on June 30, where the Red Lions will take part in a 3×3 match against a professional team from Indonesia.

The event will also be witnessed by NBA star Kyrie Irving, ANTA’s biggest basketball endorser, as part of his Asia tour that includes key stops in China before his visit to Jakarta.

Representing San Beda are two-time NCAA champion Jomel Puno, Zedjay Etulle, and newcomers Daniel Marcelo and Sean Aldous Torculas, together with head coach Yuri Escueta.

For Escueta, the opportunity is not just about exposure, but also about representing the school, the country, and the brand on a bigger platform.

“We feel blessed to be able to represent our university, the Philippines and of course, ANTA,” Escueta said. “As a big Kyrie fan myself, having the opportunity to see Kyrie in person is an experience I am excited for.”

The Red Lions’ lineup for the event features players with different basketball backgrounds.

Puno, a Fil-Canadian who came from the Toronto Basketball Academy and St. Paul before moving to Manila, has already been part of two NCAA championship teams with San Beda.

Etulle, who hails from Aklan, previously played for National University in the juniors division and Centro Escolar University in college.

Torculas is a transferee from University of the Philippines, while Marcelo, who also came from Canada, attended St. Patrick’s High School in Vancouver and briefly played for CEU before joining San Beda in Mendiola.

For Puno, the chance to play for San Beda in another country carries personal meaning.

“San Beda has been my home and family ever since I moved out here so being able to represent and carry the name of our school in another country makes me feel proud and really excited,” Puno said. “Especially with the presence of one of the greatest NBA players I grew up watching with my dad back in the Cavs era.”

Puno also shared that Irving’s signature shoes have been part of his basketball journey.

“I’ve been wearing all of Kyrie’s shoes since his first one with ANTA and could never wear any other shoe since then,” he added.

Etulle said the Jakarta trip gives San Beda a chance to show what Philippine basketball looks like on an international stage.

“I’m really excited to represent not just San Beda but also the Philippines,” Etulle said. “It’s an opportunity for us to showcase the Filipino style of basketball and show everyone how Filipinos compete and play the game.”

Torculas echoed the same excitement, calling it a blessing to represent both school and country while potentially meeting Irving in person.

Marcelo, meanwhile, described the experience as surreal.

“It feels amazing being able to represent San Beda and our country,” Marcelo said. “These are things that not a lot of people get to experience and I’m very excited to be part of it. It’s going to be fun playing against the Indonesian team and to do it in front of Kyrie, someone I grew up watching, is surreal.”

Beyond the opportunity to see Irving up close, the Jakarta trip also gives San Beda valuable international experience as the Red Lions prepare for their NCAA title defense in Season 102.

Escueta said the team wants to bring the values of San Beda and Filipino basketball to the event.

“San Beda has taught us to play at a certain level of excellence,” Escueta said. “At KAI Tour-Jakarta, we want to represent the school as well as the country by showing passion, toughness, and the Puso that Filipino basketball is known for.”

Puno said the team’s mix of overseas-raised and homegrown players reflects the diversity of Philippine basketball.

“This is what basketball is about in the Philippines,” Puno said. “Having the Filipino heritage and heart but also with a sense of diversity. Me and Dan coming from Canada and Zed and Aldous being homegrown, we can display a combination of talent that has been developed through the unique style of basketball here.”

Etulle added that the group’s different backgrounds can help them showcase the resilience and toughness Filipino players are known for.

“For me, this is the true spirit of basketball in the Philippines,” Etulle said. “We all share Filipino heritage but at the same time, we come from different backgrounds.”

For Torculas, the goal is to show that Filipino basketball is about more than just skill.

“With San Beda, we will represent the Philippines with pride, discipline, and sportsmanship both on and off the court,” Torculas said.

Marcelo kept his message simple.

“We may come from different backgrounds but we all have one thing in common: the love and respect we have for the game,” he said.