JD Cagulangan to play in Korea after UAAP title win

Guard JD Cagulangan turns emotional after helping UP win another UAAP championship in his final season.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Another UAAP star fresh off a finals stint is heading to the Korean Basketball League.

Just a day after La Salle’s two-time MVP Kevin Quiambao announced he is playing for the Goyang Sono SkyGunners, University of the Philippines standout JD Cagulangan is bound for the KBL as well.

Cagulangan, who was hailed Finals MVP after leading the Fighting Maroons to the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball championship at the expense of Quiambao and the Green Archers, has reportedly joined the Suwon KT Sonicboom.

READ: UAAP: JD Cagulangan leaves UP full of feats and gratitude

The 24-year-old guard was full of gratitude as he bid farewell to UP, which he also helped end its 36-year title drought in dramatic fashion two years ago when he drained the buzzer-beating triple for the championship.

Suwon is no stranger to having Filipino imports after acquiring the services of former Ateneo swingman Dave Ildefonso, whose contract with the Korean club ended earlier this year.

The KT Sonicboom, this time, will have the luxury of having a two-time champion in Cagulangan, who averaged 11.75 points, 4.94 assists, 4.31 rebounds and 1.69 steals per game in his final season with UP.

READ: UP hero JD Cagulangan ends stint with UAAP Finals MVP award

Cagulangan had 12 points, two rebounds, four assists and three steals in his last game for the Maroons. He averaged 13.67 points, 4.33 rebounds, 4.67 assists, 1.33 steals, and 0.67 blocks in the championship round.

Cagulangan and Quiambao joined fellow Filipino reinforcements in Carl Tamayo, Justin Gutang, Migs Oczon and SJ Belangel.