IT’S incredible to see Will Gozum lead the College of St. Benilde (CSB) to its best start at 5-1 since its title years more than 10 years ago.
Truthfully, I was surprised he went to CSB.
After his junior high school with University of the Philippines (UP) Integrated School, Will went to Mapua where he won a National Collegiate Athletic Association juniors crown. They tried to keep him in Intramuros but he went back to UP. Except he didn’t play much. I remember after his frosh year with the Fighting Maroons, he reached out to his old Mapua coach Randy Alcantara to test the waters. You know, what if he could go back. And he nearly did except he was prevailed upon to stay in Diliman.
After another year on the bench, he bolted. Now he is the Main Man for the Blazers and he isn’t wanting for minutes (27 minutes per game). He gets to show what he needs to do if he wants to be either drafted in the Philippine Basketball Association or play abroad. Currently averaging 16.6 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game, Gozum has become a more complete player.
In contrast, in his last year at UP, Gozum saw action thrice for an average of two minutes and 18 seconds. He did score at all and grabbed only two rebounds.
A couple of his former Mapua teammates likewise sought supposedly greener pastures after senior high. Brian Lacap and Clint Escamis went to the University of the East but did not play together in their one season in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. Both had forgettable one year with University of the East and were clearly not the players we saw with Mapua.
Whether they were not a fit for a different system or they bombed, both are back with the Cardinals. Lacap seems to be his old self (he is leading the team in scoring with 10.2 points per game as opposed to his 0.7 points per game with the Red Warriors) while Escamis will make his playing debut next season.
Warren Bonifacio and Paolo Hernandez are a couple of other homegrown stars who were nearly wooed away. Good for them that they stayed.
It is always tempting to move to the bigger and more moneyed programs. But it doesn’t always work out.
Jerie Pinggoy first comes to mind.
When he was in Far Eastern University, he was head and above others when he played. The two years that he sat out owing to the UAAP rule that now bears his name—the Jerie Pinggoy Rule—took something out of his game. Sure he was overweight as well. He did show some flashes of that brilliance in his one years playing for the Ateneo Blue Eagles (including two years on Team B). When he transferred to Adamson, he fell out of Franz Pumaren’s rotation.
When I think about it, he really should have stayed in FEU.
And though the jury is still out, it seems the same fate will befall Mark Nonoy who is not his old explosive self with La Salle. He clearly needs the ball to be effective and seems to be an odd-man out in La Salle’s system. And he isn’t the only former University of Santo Tomas (UST) player who could rue moving.
High school star Bismarck Lina also moved when UST imploded as a result of their farming lessons down south. Yes, he did win a title with UP last year, but had he stayed with UST, he would have all the playing time he wants.
There was a time when the best of the NCAA deemed a move to the UAAP as more advantageous. That really is a myth. Now, with international basketball opening up and the PBA no longer the only option, it’s all about showcasing one’s talents in either the UAAP or the NCAA.
And right now, we’re in the midst of a Will Gozum revival.