MANILA, Philippines--San Beda basketball coach Frankie Lim has dropped center Emeka Udo from his roster for the coming NCAA season after the Nigerian failed to return to the Philippines following the Red Lions' recent training stint in the United States.

The back-to-back NCAA champion Lions attended basketball camps in the US starting May 1 as part of their title-defense buildup and Lim said Udo sought his permission and that of a San Beda official sometime in the "first week of May" to go to Nigeria supposedly to be with his ailing father.

"We haven't heard from him (Udo) since then," Lim told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a telephone interview.

He quelled speculations that the 6-foot-7 Udo had become "TNT," the Filipino slang for an illegal alien in the US, since the player's visa has yet to expire.

"Even if he stayed there, I think he is still not yet an illegal alien because he was given a two-month visa," added Lim, who steered the Lions to last year's title as a rookie coach.

Nevertheless, Lim expressed disappointment over the 19-year-old player's action.

"It's a pity because he complied with the residency requirement for one year and would have been eligible to play this season," Lim said of Udo, who was based in Singapore before coming over to Manila.

Despite Udo's impending absence and the departure of key players Yousif Aljamal and Raymond Maggay, Lim remains upbeat about the Lions' chances this year.

"We will be okay," said Lim, who still has Nigerian Sam Ekwe, Ogie Menor and Pong Escobal to banner the Lions' campaign.