Major player transfers continue to rock Philippine college basketball world
MANILA, Philippines — The UAAP was, again, shook up by one of the biggest transfers in recent history.
After months of rumors, UAAP Season 87 Rookie of the Year Veejay Pre announced that he is leaving the Far Eastern University Tamaraws.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page Wednesday midnight, Pre, one of the brightest young stars in college, said that he and his family came to a decision to bid goodbye to Morayta.
And as expected, rumors once again arose as to where he will end up. UAAP and NCAA schools were tied to the name. Who wouldn’t want the 19-year-old forward? He is a young 6-foot-5 banger who scored 31 points in a game last season, being the first rookie since Jeron Teng to score more than 30 in a contest. He averaged 13.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in his first year in college.
After about two days of “free agency,” Pre found a new home with the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons.
A source, who asked not to be named, said weeks before Pre’s transfer that UP “never” had talks with the forward.
UP and La Salle earlier said they have no plans to recruit Pre, but with the young gun’s departure from FEU, the Fighting Maroons eventually secured his services. This was stressed by UP-Office of Athletics and Sports Development director Bo Perasol, who said in a statement that they respected the Tamaraws and they talked to Pre “when he decided to leave.”
But despite this earth-shattering development, big-time players moving from one school to another are nothing new, especially in collegiate basketball.
Let’s take a look back at some of the notable, needle-moving transfers in collegiate basketball in the past few years.
UP bulks up
Let’s start with the team of the hour.
One of the most aggressive teams in terms of recruitment, the Fighting Maroons, who lost the championship in the UAAP Season 86 against La Salle, quickly bagged a huge name in the offseason.
More than a month after losing to the Green Archers in three games, UP was able to lure Rey Remogat out of University of the East and join the Fighting Maroons.
Remogat, one of the best point guards of that season, announced that he will be suiting up for the Fighting Maroons starting UAAP Season 88 back in January last year. He averaged 16.5 points, 7.9 assists, 6.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals a contest for the Red Warriors.
With him in tow, UP will be a team to watch in the coming UAAP Season 88.
But the Fighting Maroons got stronger, as well, for Season 99.
Aside from Pre, UP also secured the commitment of former NCAA Finals Most Valuable Player James Payosing out of San Beda.
Payosing, who won the championship back in NCAA Season 99, committed to the team back in March this year.
It was a trade of sorts between UP and San Beda, as forward Aldous Torculas, brought his act to the Red Lions.
And a month later, another UE guard in Rainer Maga transferred to the Diliman-based squad.
Maga averaged 8.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game for the Red Warriors in UAAP Season 87.
Payosing and Maga, as well as Jose Maria College standout Arvie Poyos, will be eligible to play for the Maroons come Season 89.
Amos-Baclaan-Cortez trio as La Salle core
Last year, the La Salle Green Archers loaded up on talent ready to play in UAAP Season 88.
Fresh off a championship in UAAP Season 86, La Salle secured the commitments of National University Bulldogs spitfire Kean Baclaan and then-newly-crowned NCAA champion, San Beda’s Jacob Cortez.
Baclaan and Cortez, two shifty guards, were about to be the backcourt of the future for the Green Archers.
A few months later, though, a transfer shocked the entire Philippine basketball world.
After one season with the Ateneo Blue Eagles, big man Mason Amos decided he would rather be green than be blue. The sweet-shooting forward/center, who has been a member of Tim Cone’s Gilas Pilipinas squad, made his move from Katipunan to Taft in one of the biggest transfers in recent memory.
The 6-foot-7 Amos averaged 8.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game for the Blue Eagles in his rookie year in Season 86, while shooting a 41.5% clip from beyond the arc.
The three will be eligible to play come UAAP Season 88.
Padrigao, Paranada usher in new age for UST
After years of heartbreak and falling short of the UAAP Final Four, UST bagged two huge recruits in 2023.
After consecutive straight seasons the Growling Tigers finished at the bottom half of the league, the Espana-based team found reason to be optimistic with the return of beloved coach Pido Jarencio.
Over the next few months, several players, among them former UAAP champion and Mythical Five member Forthsky Padrigao and former UE microwave Kyle Paranada, transferred to the team. They were welcome additions to a UST team led by Nic Cabanero and foreign student-athlete Mo Tounkara.
While the two sat out in Season 86 due to residency, they were huge members of the team in Season 87, where the Tigers finally broke through and punched a ticket to the Final Four. They finished the season with a 7-7 win-loss record, but got bounced in the semifinals by UP.
Escamis returns home
Over in the NCAA, perhaps one of the biggest transfers in recent years is the homecoming of Clint Escamis.
After one season with the University of the East Red Warriors, Escamis returned home to Mapua, where he played high school ball.
Escamis, who led the UAAP in steals during his stay with the Red Warriors, showcased his two-way prowess and all-around mastery in his first year with the Cardinals.
He was named NCAA Season 99 rookie-MVP, but he came up short against the San Beda Red Lions, led by Payosing and Cortez.
But last year, Escamis finally brought Mapua to the promised land, ending the Cardinals’ 33-year NCAA championship drought with a two-game sweep over the Benilde Blazers.
Benilde loads up
The NCAA Season 100 roster of the Blazers, who finished as runners-up against Mapua, were also filled with transferees.
Eventual Season MVP Allen Liwag transferred to Benilde after two years at Emilio Aguinaldo College.
Tony Ynot, Gab Cometa and Justine Sanchez, former San Beda Red Lions, likewise suited up for the Blazers last season.
But despite this stacked lineup, Benilde finished second in the eliminations with a 14-4 win-loss record. The twice-to-beat-holding Blazers then defeated the Red Lions, before ultimately getting swept by Mapua.
With players moving from one university to another, it seems the UAAP and NCAA seasons begin way before the first whistle. And with UAAP Season 89 and NCAA Season 101 still a few months away, only time will tell whether another huge star will transfer to another team.
- Latest
- Trending
