By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Another marksman is set to leave the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU Blue Eagles lair confirmed last March 11, 2024.
Gab Gomez, a vital piece to the Blue Eagles’ UAAP Men’s Basketball post-season campaign in the last three years, announced that he will no longer play out his final eligible year via a lengthy social media post.
“Though my time in Ateneo did not end as I expected, I still see it as a blessing that I was a part of something special. It was still a dream come true,” wrote Gomez on his official Instagram account.
Gomez joined the Blue Eagles last 2020 and slowly became one of their trusted snipers from the outside following the exit of their former seniors Tyler Tio, Anton Asistio, Thirdy Ravena, and Vince Tolentino.
Despite the lack of playing time in his first two years, Gomez formally introduced his name in Season 85 when the Blue Eagles reached the grand finals.
Gomez was a revelation that season and quickly became a crowd favorite after a stellar performance in the championship series against the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons.
The savvy guard was a late insertion to head coach Tab Baldwin’s rotation. After a convincing outing in the second round of the eliminations, Gomez became a spark in Ateneo’s second unit with his ability to knock down shots from the three-point territory.
His shooting prowess was in full effect against UP in the finals and had a performance of a lifetime during the pivotal Game 3, draining several treys while capping their UAAP title run with 12 big points.
However, Gomez had a roller-coaster ride in Season 86 as his performance was derailed by several injuries.
Gomez will now be joining Jared Brown and Kai Ballungay as the latest members of the Blue Eagles to depart their basketball program.
With their absence, breakout stars like Mason Amos and Joseph Obasa will be tasked to lead the prestigious university in the upcoming UAAP Season 87.
