Arvin Tolentino moves to FEU. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
ATENEO’S bid to reclaim UAAP men’s basketball glory may have just gotten tougher following the exodus of several young standouts.
The Blue Eagles—already bracing for a challenging run after the graduation of two-time MVP Kiefer Ravena—also lost to other schools former top recruits Arvin Tolentino, Hubert Cani and Jerie Pingoy.
Tolentino, the 2014 UAAP Rookie of the Year and former San Beda juniors star, transferred to reigning UAAP champion Far Eastern University.
READ: ‘Major role’ awaits Pingoy in Adamson after leaving Ateneo
Cani, who powered National University to the 2013 UAAP juniors crown to bag the Finals MVP, also joined the Tamaraws.
Pingoy, a former UAAP juniors MVP with FEU, moved to Adamson.
The players’ social media accounts, as well as other team accounts, confirmed the transfers.
READ: Pingoy makes UAAP debut as Blue Eagle after serving 2-year residency
Team sources said the trio, all former national youth team members, had been temporarily cut from the Ateneo roster due to academic problems. But their decision to move to other schools still came as a surprise.
The three standouts, though, must serve another year of residency before seeing action in the league again.
For Cani and Pingoy, it will be another year of waiting as the two controversial guards had battled league residency rules the past seasons before debuting with the Eagles last year.
The Eagles last won the UAAP championship in 2012, the last of a string of five titles under former coach Norman Black.