UNIVERSITY of the East coach Chris Gavina remained defiant following another departure from the Red Warriors' homestead.
"Roster movement is part of college basketball now and it’s happening across the league," he told SPIN.ph. "What’s important for us at the University of the East is making sure we stay aligned with the standards we’re building as a program."
UE once again found itself losing one of its key cogs after team captain Wello Lingolingo, with one playing year left still, decided to part ways with the school.
That was following a tumultuous UAAP Season 88 campaign where it lost all 14 games - and 20 consecutive dating back to the season prior - which led to Precious Momowei and Nico Mulingtapang also leaving Recto.
And don't forget that in offseasons since 2022, the likes of Clint Escamis, Rey Remogat, Gani Stevens, and Kyle Paranada all also exited Recto still with seasons of eligibility under their belts.
As tough as this recent trend is to upturn, Gavina chose to be understanding, as he hopes for the best for Lingolingo moving forward.
"Wello made a decision about what he believes is best for his career and we respect that. At the same time, our program is built on commitment to the University of the East and to the group. No one player defines what we’re building here," he stated.
For those who come after
Still, it prompted the mentor to send a message to those who remain, saying that when one door closes, another one opens.
"Leadership and standards don’t leave when one person leaves. Those responsibilities get passed on and they grow within the locker room. We have players who are ready to step into bigger roles," he said.
"Our focus remains the same: developing the guys who are here, strengthening our culture, and continuing to move the University of the East program forward."
Gavina is hopeful to nurture exceptional players and leaders by the culture-building he has harped on from the very beginning despite the Red Warriors being on the short end of the stick in the current collegiate basketball landscape.
"We’re raising the level of accountability, discipline, and commitment here. And whenever standards rise, it naturally clarifies who truly wants to be part of that process and who may decide to go a different direction," he said.
"Our focus is on building a strong culture with players who embrace that challenge and take pride in representing the University of the East. The players who stay and buy into that are the ones who will improve and help move this program forward.
"We’re focused on putting the right players on our bus, guys who believe in our values and core principles. When that alignment isn’t there, sometimes addition by subtraction becomes a necessary part of the process of building the right culture."
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