Paolo Hernandez has called it a career in the collegiate ranks as the veteran shooter will not return to Mapua University for NCAA Season 100, which would have been his final year.
Mapua head coach Randy Alcantara bared the development to GMA Integrated News.
"Paolo, hindi na namin makakasama sa Season 100. Pa-graduate na rin siya [sa academic] eh," Alcantara said during Mapua's visit at the GMA headquarters for the Masterclass.
"Maganda rin kasi hindi niya pinabayaan 'yung studies niya habang naglalaro sa Mapua Cardinals. So sa akin, natutuwa naman ako na makaka-graduate siya and matutuloy niya 'yung basketball career niya as a pro."
[Paolo will not be with us in Season 100. He's already graduating academically... It's good because he didn't neglect his studies while playing for the Mapua Cardinals. So for me, I'm glad that he'll be able to graduate and continue his basketball career as a pro.]
Hernandez had been an important cog in Mapua's rise in the past three seasons.
The 6-foot-3 forward emerged as one of the Cardinals' top scorers in Season 97, posting 10.92 points, 5.17 rebounds, 1.58 assists, and 1.33 steals to steer Mapua to the finals, where they fell to Letran in two games.
They made a return to the finals in Season 99 after a stellar elimination round campaign that saw the Intramuros crew rack up 15 wins and three losses to clinch the top seed. Hernandez, alongside Warren Bonifacio and NCAA Season 99 MVP Clint Escamis, led the squad as they came to within a win of ending the school's three-decade title drought.
However, Mapua fell prey to San Beda University in the best-of-three series as the title remained elusive for the school.
Hernandez admitted after the grueling series that he was unsure of returning to Mapua, sharing that his other options was to turn professional.
Alcantara stressed he has no hard feelings regarding Hernandez' decision.
"Yes, nagsabi naman siya nang maayos. Naguusap naman kami lagi, nu'ng Christmas break at nu'ng bakasyon. Nag-one-on-one kami regarding diyan and nagsabi naman siya nang maayos," he added.
[Yes, he let us know properly. We always speak with each other, during the Christmas break and the vacation. We had a one-on-one regarding that and he let me know.]
With Hernandez gone, the team will rely more heavily on Escamis as he leads their young core of Cyrus Cuenco, JC Recto, Kobe Dalisay, and Jeco Bancale.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
