HAVE we seen the last of La Salle prized center Justine Baltazar in the UAAP?
That’s the burning question gnawing at the Green Archers after the 6-foot-8 Gilas Pilipinas standout was included in the roster of Pampanga Delta in the Chooks-to-Go National Basketball League-Pilipinas, a pro league.
La Salle coach Derrick Pumaren could not be reached for comment yesterday.
If Baltazar suits up for the squad, that will make him ineligible to play his fifth and final year with the Archers.
Although he can apply and gain a special guest player license from the Games and Amusements Board, the UAAP said it will not honor the license.
Baltazar averaged 15.1 points and a team-best 11.8 rebounds in the last UAAP cage wars in 2019.
La Salle, which last won the crown in 2016 under former coach Aldin Ayo, finished with a 7-7 card for fifth last and failed to advance to the Final Four for the second straight year.
The Commission on Higher Education released the safety and health guidelines for the resumption of collegiate training last October.
Ten months later, the collegiate leagues are still waiting for the go-signal from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
In December last year, the Philippine Sports Commission also crafted guidelines for the conduct of collegiate tourneys.
The cancellation of the 83rd season last December marked the first time the UAAP called off a season since World War II from 1941 to 1946.
