Photo courtesy of Angela Davocol
SAN Sebastian is ready to move on without its top gun RK Ilagan, who decided to forego his final year of NCAA men’s basketball eligibility.
“Yes RK is going to the PBA draft. The team was very happy and cheerful about his decision knowing that there will be another Baste
player that we could cheer in this coming draft,” said Stags coach Egay Macaraya in a message to People’s Tonight Thursday night.
Coming off an 11-win campaign that was enough for a Final Four slot in 2019, San Sebastian was determined to go deeper with Ilagan
supposed to be taking charge of the team once more in his final season.
But with Ilagan’s change of heart for his family, Macaraya respected his career move and the Stags will find ways to fill the void left
by the 5-foot-7 guard from Tondo.
“Every one is very excited to accept the competition in replacing him (Ilagan) in the first 5 of the team. Hoping for the best and looking
forward in developing another shooter in the team,” said Macaraya, who is on his fifth year handling the Recto-based program.
Ilagan fired a career-best 36 points spiked by seven triples, but his efforts was not enough as San Sebastian suffered a tough 80-85 loss to eventual champion Letran in the step-ladder phase two years ago which has turned out to be his swan song in college.
In his four years with the Stags, Ilagan was sensational.
Despite not bagging any individual award during that span, Ilagan averaged 12.71 points on a 34.33 percent shooting (172-of-501) from the three-point area in 72 games played.
In Season 95, Ilagan elevated his game with 15.8 points, four rebounds and four assists per contest. It was Ilagan’s redemption season
after being caught playing in “ligang labas” in 2018 that resulted in San Sebastian forfeiting two of its first round victories.
