By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Rhenz Abando’s decision of making the jump from the UAAP to the NCAA is because of one ultimate reason.
He doesn’t want to face the team that recruited him and made him into the star that he is right now.
The 22-year-old swingman bared that facing UST after his departure would give him so much pain, considering how the Growling Tigers molded him into the kind of player he is today.
“Same Dominican school naman e. Ayoko rin mag-UAAP kasi pag-UAAP tapos nakalaban ko UST, baka pag nag-chant ng ‘Go USTE’ baka bigla ko depensahan yung mga kakampi ko sa ibang school. Ayoko talaga makalaban UST!” Abando said.
Despite strong offers from the Adamson Soaring Falcons and the National University Bulldogs, Abando, together with UST teammates Brent Paraiso and Ira Bataller, decided to move on and wear the blue and white in their next playing year.
Having emerged as one of the most reliable two-way players for head coach Aldin Ayo, Abando was supposed to be Mark Nonoy’s partner in their tandem as the “Probinsyano Duo.”
Abando decided to leave UST to save his basketball career after the school faced multiple investigations into their Sorsogon practice bubble fiasco.
“Mapropromise ko lang na gagawin ko ang lahat tulad ng sa UST. Kung kaya ko higitan, gagawin ko lahat ng makakaya ko hanggang dulo,” added Abando.
