San Sebastian loses key players ahead of NCAA season

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net

San Sebastian was dealt with a major blow two months before the NCAA Season 94 after the departure of several of their key players.

Golden Stags coach Egay Macaraya confirmed that there was an exodus of players from his team as almost half of his squad from last season’s Final Four run was wiped out.

Five players, namely Renzo Navarro, Jayson David, Alfren Gayosa, Alvin Baetiong, and Justine Mercado have all chosen to take their act elsewhere as well as Team B players Jerwyn Guinto and Mark Sangalang.

“They told me that they will transfer and I said go. I think the reason is obvious. You could ask them what the real score is,” Macaraya said in a text message to INQUIRER on Monday.

Navarro had already taken his talents to Lyceum and had been constantly supporting his new teammates playing under the Zark’s-Lyceum Jawbreakers in their championship drive this past 2018 PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup.

“There are things that we don’t have control on, things that have led to my decision to leave Baste. I’m just lucky that I saw that Lyceum had a good community and a family and that’s why I chose them,” said the 20-year-old guard

Navarro, who averaged 6.3 points and 3.1 assists last season, will be in his third school in college after having stops in La Salle and San Sebastian.

Sources close to the situation also confirmed that David and Guinto are also going to the Pirates to reunite with former coach Topex Robinson.

The 6-foot-2 guard David netted 8.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.5 steals for the Golden Stags last season and even played a key part in the team’s preseason preparations when he played for Che’Lu Bar and Grill-San Sebastian in the PBA D-League.

Guinto, meanwhile, is the younger brother of former San Sebastian stalwart and now-GlobalPort big man Bradwyn.

Gayosa, on the other hand, has transferred to Arellano despite nursing an ACL injury. The 22-year-old forward corralled 6.1 points and 4.5 boards last year for San Sebastian.

Sangalang has jumped ship to Letran after languishing in Team B, while Macaraya said Baetiong and Mercado have decided to test the waters of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

Despite the loss, San Sebastian remains a formidable squad with the likes of Michael Calisaan, RK Ilagan, and Allyn Bulanadi still in tow.