FEU release key to Pingoy’s early UAAP stint

ATENEO’S prized freshman Jerie Pingoy may need to convince more officials just to see action in this year’s University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) men’s basketball season.

The UAAP Board has revised the new residency rule which requires high school players transferring to a member-school for college to sit out for two years with a clause that  will force Pingoy to request a release  from his high school alma mater Far Eastern University.

“We added the option to release immediately from high school to college,” said UAAP president Nilo Ocampo.

Last month, the Board voted to uphold the contentious residency rule even after a Senate hearing where Sen. Pia Cayetano described the new rule as an “unreasonable limit on an athlete’s freedom of choice and academic freedom.”

But with the new clause, a player may immediately suit up if a “prior release is issued” that is “duly signed” by any UAAP board member of the concerned school.

Pingoy, though, might need to work hard on his release as FEU strongly fought to keep the two-time UAAP juniors MVP in its fold.

A former national youth team standout, Pingoy is currently in the United States training with the rest of the Blue Eagles in a summer basketball camp.