LETRAN will finally welcome back to its big man Pao Javillonar when it resumes its NCAA Season 100 campaign in Tuesday at the FilOil EcoOil Arena.
The Knights' team captain will be playing his first match of the season after serving out a two-game suspension meted by the league’s Management Committee for playing in a mini-tournament in Davao City two months ago.
READ: Pao Javillonar suspension reduced to 2 games after Letran appeal
Coach Allen Ricardo said the return of the 6-foot-5 Javillonar couldn’t have come at a perfect time for Letran as it faces Arellano University when action in the league resumes on Tuesday.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Pao Javillonar because his energy, his leadership ang laking bagay sa amin,” said the Letran mentor.
In his absence, the Knights have gone 1-1 as they lost to San Sebastian, 91-84, before bouncing back behind a 70-62 win over Jose Rizal University.
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Against the Chiefs, Ricardo expects Javillonar to make valuable contributions as he kickstarts his final tour of duty with the Knights.
“Alam naman natin si Paolo talagang vocal yan sa loob at tsaka sa labas ng court. Kaya ang laking bagay niya sa amin,” said the Letran coach.
Despite applying in the last PBA draft which saw him being picked in the second round by Converge, Javillonar decided to return back to Muralla and play out his last season with the school, where he was part of its three recent NCAA championships.
Last July though, he went to Davao together with the rest of the FiberXers tosee action in the 39th Kadayawan Festival.
Though he briefly played in just one of the four games of Converge, the NCAA ManCom used it as a ground to suspend him in the early part of the season.
Initially, he was slapped with a three-game ban, but following an appeal made by Letran, the suspension was later reduced to two games.
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