MANILA – Ferdinand “Jun” Asuncion will no longer wear the colors of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) men’s basketball team.
Asuncion’s transfer to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) member school Mapua University was reported by The Varsitarian – UST’s official student publication – on Tuesday.
He was the fifth player to leave the UST men’s basketball squad of coach Aldin Ayo after CJ Cansino, Brent Paraiso, Rhenz Abando and Ira Bataller.
But unlike Cansino, Abando, Paraiso and Bataller, Asuncion was not part of the Growling Tigers group that went to Barangay Capuy in Sorsogon City, which is Ayo’s hometown, for a “bubble training.”
The six-foot-two sniper only played a single game for the Growling Tigers during his rookie season in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.
He, however, recorded 20 points, 15 coming from beyond-the-arc, during UST’s 115-62 victory over Technological Institute of the Philippines in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Developmental League on March 5.
Abando, meanwhile, formalized his departure from the Growling Tigers on Monday evening.
“Thank you for your unending grace !!!!,” the La Union-native wrote on his Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
The six-foot-two Abando was being tipped to transfer to Colegio de San Juan de Letran or San Beda University where he can still play for two years.
These two schools are members of the NCAA.
Letran men’s basketball team head coach Bonnie Tan refused to confirm if they already have Abando in the bag based on rumors.
On the other hand, San Beda men’s basketball squad manager Jude Roque said he remains hopeful that Abando will consider joining them.
“Sana maligaw (si Abando) sa San Beda,” he added./PN
