Balanza honored with Player of the Week nod

Letran did not need Jerrick Balanza to be on the court to make his presence felt last week.

Days after being diagnosed with a brain tumor, Balanza's teammates were inspired to give him a fitting birthday present, a 99-82 victory against Arellano last Thursday.

After the game, head coach Jeff Napa shares, "Si Jerrick, hindi naman nawala sa team namin yan e. He's still part of the team."

He adds, "Kailangan intindihin namin ang health niya, pero yung presence niya sa dugout, sa ensayo, nandun pa rin yun."

The NCAA has united in rallying behind Balanza in his quest to recovery, with no less than their archrivals San Beda leading in well-wishes.

"We wish and pray for nothing but the best for Balanza," said head coach Boyet Fernandez, adding, "It's unfortunate and we wish for his fast recovery."

Teammate Bong Quinto is heartened by the gesture towards Jerrick, says, "Kailangan tayo ni Jerrick. Good thing naman na buong NCAA, kahit yung mga kalaban namin, nagkakaisa para makatulong kay Jerrick."

The NCAA Press Corps acknowledged Balanza's tremendous strength in his own battle and acting as an inspiration to the Knights by honoring him with the latest Chooks-To-Go Player of the Week nod.

With Jerrick still in need of assistance to ease off his financial obligations, donations are highly welcomed. Details below.

Bank: BDOBranch: BDO Intramuros
Account Name: Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Inc.
Account Number: ‎4500003129

Jerrick Balanza sidelined with tumor

The Letran Knights were dealt a major blow to their title hopes on Wednesday, as they learned that Jerrick Balanza will be sidelined for the remainder of the season.

According to Letran's Management Committee representative Fr. Vic Calvo, OP,  Balanza had been complaining that he has been having difficulty hearing recently, and upon diagnosis from Dr. Manuel Mariano, it was discovered that he has a tumor found in the temporal lobe of the brain.

The neurosurgeon then revealed that Balanza will need to undergo an operation to remove said tumor. Once successfully completed, he says, the swingman would be back by November at the earlier.

Jerrick had been averaging 7.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists this season, and the team has made the necessary paperwork to have Gaylord Pambid inserted into the lineup as his replacement. The move is awaiting ManCom approval.

Calvo shares, "Yes, we need him (Balanza), but his health is our primary concern."

In addition, the family as well as the school are seeking donations and funds that can help defray the cost of the procedure, which amounts to PhP 500,000