ST. BENILDE'S quest to put an end to its Final Four drought got a huge shot in the arm as Justin Gutang reaffirmed his commitment to stay put.
"I will be playing out my last year with CSB," he said in a short chat with Spin.ph.
The Fil-Am forward's decision to skip the next PBA Rookie Draft is good news for the Blazers, who are looking to make a splash in the coming NCAA Season 96.
Gutang, 23, is certainly the main man for St. Benilde.
He averaged 11.4 points on 38-percent shooting, along with 7.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists last NCAA Season 95 as the TY Tang-coached Blazers barely missed the semis, finishing at fifth place with their 9-9 card.
The 6-foot-3 high-flyer also previously played for Mighty Sports, last suiting up in the 2019 Dubai International Basketball Tournament.
Gutang built a strong case to be taken in the first round had he declared for the draft.
Instead, he gets to wear green-and-whites for one final season, intent on leading St. Benilde to levels it hasn't been in for close to two decades.
The Blazers have not made it to the semifinals since 2002 when Sunday Salvacion led the school to a runner-up finish in NCAA Season 78, only bowing to San Sebastian in the finals.
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