SEA Games: Switch from basketball to track pays off for former Terrence Romeo teammate Bagsit

Unknown to many, two-time Southeast Asian Games double gold winner Archand Christian Bagsit was part of an elite batch — not in athletics, but in basketball.

Before switching to track, Bagsit actually played for Letran's juniors team in the NCAA, where he was a teammate of GlobalPort star Terrence Romeo and Gilas cadet member Kevin Alas, in the Squires' 2007 team.

Romeo eventually moved to Far Eastern University before getting drafted in the PBA earlier this year, while Alas stayed on at Letran, before becoming a member of the national team in the SEA Games.

Other notable players from that talented 2007 Squires squad are University of the East’s JM Noble and National University’s Glenn Khobuntin.

While unheralded in that batch, Alas recalled that Bagsit was one of the fastest and hardest working players on that Squires squad.

“Siya ang pinakamasipag sa team. Pinakamabilis at hindi napapagod,” said Alas, who, like Bagsit, also won a SEA Games gold when Sinag Pilipinas bagged the country's 16th gold medal in men’s basketball.

Bagsit's talent obviously made him perfect for athletics.

While his other teammates made a name for themselves in basketball, Bagsit became part of the athletics team in Letran before making the grade on the national team.

After winning silver in the 2011 SEA Games in Palembang, Indonesia, Bagsit finally claimed not just one, but two gold medals as he ruled the 400-meter run in Myanmar before, joining forces with Isidro Del Prado, Julius Nierras, and Edgar Alejan in a golden performance in the 4x400m run. - Reuben Terrado, SPIN