By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons’ unexplained roster depletion continues after the departure of defensive guard Cyril Gonzales.
After spending his last two collegiate seasons with the Fighting Maroons, Gonzales will be making a highly-anticipated return to the Mapua Cardinals where he was first scouted by several UAAP schools.
Before committing to the Fighting Maroons during the pandemic, Gonzales became the talk of the town in the NCAA after averaging 9.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 steals for the Cardinals.
As soon as he landed in Diliman, Gonzales didn’t receive his usual playing time when he was with Mapua and turned into a defensive juggernaut under the system of Goldwin Monteverde.
During the UAAP Season 85, Gonzales only appeared in 17 games for the Fighting Maroons and averaged 5.12 points per contest.
Gonzales will still follow the collegiate rules for transferees and will sit out the current year in Mapua due to residency.
“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who allowed their story to become a part of mine. To my teammates and coaches, who equally shared a passion for the game and became my second family, I will always be indebted. Despite all the highs and lows, I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have become part of the rich history of this prestigious university,” Gonzales posted on his Instagram account.
Gonzales became the fourth UP commit to leave the basketball program following the exit of Jared Bahay, Chris Hubilla, and Luis Pablo.
Bahay, the country’s no. 1 high school player from Ateneo de Cebu, explained that his decision to de-commit and join the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles was due to more opportunities inside the playing court.
Meanwhile, Hubilla will be returning to the NCAA scene and is set to reinforce the Letran Knights while Pablo is headed back to the De La Salle University (DLSU).
