ANOTHER PBA cager appears set to play overseas anew.
Vastly improved Terrafirma wingman Javi Gomez de Liaño bid the Dyip adieu last Friday and will reportedly join his younger brother Juan on the Seoul SK Knights in the Korean Basketball League.
“I am truly grateful for the opportunity of being able to play in the PBA, most specially making it to the playoffs with this franchise,” Gomez de Liaño said in a lengthy social media post three days ago.
“The team accepted me with open arms from the day I got traded and have helped me develop into not only a better player, but more importantly, a better individual,” he added.
The 6-foot-3 Gomez de Liaño proved his worth with the Johnedel Cardel-mentored Dyip in the season-ending tourney with averages of 15.92 points, 5.58 rebounds, and 1.50 assists per game.
His sudden exit will surely be a big blow to the squad’s gains in the import-less meet where it wound up with a 5-6 mark and reached the quarterfinals for the first time in eight years.
Terrafirma, however, fell to reigning champion San Miguel Beer in the Last Eight although it won the opener of the playoffs.
Gomez de Liaño was tabbed eight overall by Ginebra in the 2022 rookie Draft but was shipped to the Dyip in exchange for No. 2 selection Jeremiah Gray.
Before joining the pro league, Gomez de Liaño saw action for the Ibaraki Robots from 2021 to 2022 in the Japan B.League.
He thanked his teammates, the fans, and Cardel for a memorable stint.
