MANILA — University of Santo Tomas will be taking flight to Korea to ramp up their build-up for the upcoming UAAP Season 86.

The squad will be staying in Korea for 11 days and will be staging six tuneup games against KBL teams led by Changwon LG Sakers, as well as three of Korea's top universities while also partaking in a skills training camp.

"Unti-unti na naming nabubuo yung team, pero mahalaga pa rin sa amin na masubukan yung tatag ng mga batang ito. Nakita namin kung paano sila mag-perform sa practice, pero iba pa rin yung sa game kaya magandang challenge ito para sa amin na ipakita nila kung gaano sila ka-palaban," said UST head coach Pido Jarencio.

The Growling Tigers will be headed by Nic Cabanero, Adama Faye, and Paul Manalang, while also joining in the mix are UST neophytes SJ Moore and Mark Llemit. Fil-Ams Vince Ventulan and John Abate are also expected to join the team.

Completing the 16-man roster for this trip are holdovers Ivan Lazarte, Christian Manaytay, Miguel Pangilinan, Jonathan Gesalem, Mark Angelo Crisostomo, Bevir Ivanne Calum, and second-generation players Kenji Duremdes, Kylle Magdangal, and Echo Laure.

Meanwhile, Jarencio will be joined by team consultant Bonnie Tan and team managers Eric Ang and Waiyip Chong.

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UST, who is now backed up by San Miguel Corporation, and SMC sports director and newly appointed UST Special Assistant to the Rector for Sports Alfrancis Chua, will be sending a 34-man delegation to Korea that is bound to return to the country on August 9.