Justine Baltazar. Photo from B.League
MANILA, Philippines—The Hiroshima Dragonflies have decided to end their contract with Filipino import Justine Baltazar in the Japan B.League.
The Dragonflies and Baltazar reached a “mutual agreement” to part ways, the team announced Tuesday.
“To all the fans, thank you for supporting me and the whole Hiroshima Dragonflies team. Thank you for cheering me on since day one. You will forever have a special place in my heart,” said the former La Salle star in a statement.
“I hope you’ll still support me and the rest of the team. God bless us all. Thank you very much,” he added.
Baltazar, a versatile big man, appeared in only eight games for Hiroshima.
Logging only a total of 13 minutes and 36 seconds of playing time, the 6-foot-9 Baltazar only managed to record two points, one rebound, one assist and a steal in the entirety of his brief B.League campaign.
The 25-year-old Baltazar signed with Hiroshima in May this year, just a few weeks after ending his final season with the Green Archers in the UAAP Season 84.
Bal was a frontrunner for MVP in his final UAAP year where he averaged 12.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, a steal and a block per game.