MANILA, Philippines — It’s official. Fil-Hawaiian Sage Tolentino yesterday signed a letter of commitment to suit up for the University of Cincinnati varsity in D-1 basketball with his parents Grant and Becky witnessing the ceremony at Hamilton High School, Ohio. The 7-1 Tolentino, 17, will play out his senior season with Hamilton this school year then enroll at Cincinnati for the 2022-23 campaign.
“I’m speechless,” said Tolentino whose great grandfather migrated from Cebu to work the sugar and pineapple plantations in Hawaii. “From the first moment I met with (Cincinnati) coach Wes (Miller), I felt the love. It’s a lot of hard work ahead and I’ll give my best effort on and off the court. I’ll keep working hard to inspire everyone to live his or her dream. I’m hoping to play for Gilas with Kai (Sotto) in the future. Right now, my focus is to keep my grades up and play my last season at Hamilton. Since I’ve committed to Cincinnati, I’m allowed to start training with the coaches and get connected with my teammates.”
Tolentino was recruited by several D-1 schools, including Kansas, Kentucky, Auburn, Tennessee State and Hawaii but decided to join the Bearcats. “We live just 30 minutes away from campus and we intend to watch every game that Sage plays,” said his father Grant who left an engineering job in a Hawaii hotel to open a food truck, called “Dine In Hawaii,” in Hamilton. “My wife and I were born in Hawaii and family has always been a priority with us. Choosing Cincinnati was Sage’s decision. Of course, we gave him guidance. When he finally decided, we felt peace upon us. Coach Wes is a great guy, down-to-earth.” His mother Becky, a schoolteacher, has Hawaiian, Portuguese, Norwegian and French lineage. “We’re always there for Sage,” she said. “We raised him with love. Growing up, he was the tallest in his age bracket. He would be asked how tall he was 10 times a day. Sage has stayed grounded and humble.”
Tolentino said whether or not he’ll join the NBA draft before he finishes his four-year eligibility at Cincinnati depends on God’s timing. “I’ll take it year by year,” he said. His father, a former D-1 volleyball player, said more and more relatives are relocating to Hamilton to live close to Tolentino and cheer him on his journey. So far, three cousins have moved and one more is on the way.
Hamilton High School coach Kevin Higgins said he’s excited for Tolentino. “He’s one of the best shooters I’ve ever seen of his size,” said Higgins. “He has the abilities and skills that are unique for a seven-footer. We want the best for him and we’ll support him every step of the way even after he graduates from high school.”