EMILIO Aguinaldo College's uphill climb in NCAA Season 95 gets a lot tougher with Hamadou Laminou being ruled out.
No less than head coach Oliver Bunyi bared the news, with the 24-year-old Cameroonian big man being ruled ineligible for the Generals' campaign this year.
"He got only one subject left last term and he overlooked it. Basically he's not eligible this coming season," said the soft-spoken mentor.
Laminou averaged 15.2 points, 10.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 34.5 minutes of action last year for EAC, which finished ninth with a 4-14 win-loss card.
He wasn't able to finish the season after suffering a concussion in the Generals' penultimate game against Perpetual, where Altas forward Jerome Pasia inadvertently kneed him to the back of the head that led to him falling face first.
This ends Laminou's four-year collegiate career with EAC, highlighted by a Mythical Team selection back in 2016. The NCAA will start banning foreign players in all sports starting next year.
His absence will be a big blow for the rebuilding Generals, but Bunyi is keeping his faith on his wards, led by JP Maguliano, Marwin Taywan and Jethro Mendoza.
"I'm expecting that they will always give their perfect effort. Our best might not be enough against the others' best this season, but I believe we'll eventually catch up with the others. I saw that if they work together, there's a possibility for us to win big games," he said.
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