BACK-up big man Alfonzo Gotladera is leaving La Salle and appears headed to rival school Ateneo.
The center has recently been released by the Green Archers after the former San Beda Red Cub spent two largely uneventful seasons with the Taft-based squad.
According to a source, Gotladera has attended one of the Blue Eagles’ practices and was also seen joining the training sessions of PBA D-League team NLEX last conference.
Like Ateneo, NLEX is under the wings of the Manny V. Pangilinan group.
Henry Atayde, La Salle’s representative to the UAAP board, said there was no animosity involved in the split between the school and Gotladera.
“The parents approached us and we released him,” said Atayde. “No problem naman because he is a good kid.”
Gotladera had a hard time crashing the rotation of the Green Archers, with former PH Youth standout Norbert Torres, Yutien Andrada, and Arnold Van Opstal taking most of the minutes in the frontline.
The Archers’ big men also face stiffer competition for playing minutes in the future, with Cameroonian Ben Mbala set to move in after being recruited from Southwestern University.
Retooling their roster in their bid to recapture the UAAP title they last won in 2007, the Archers recently got a commitment from Bacolod star Kib Montalbo to play for the school when he enters college.
Ateneo, meanwhile, has yet to announce the new additions to its frontcourt after Greg Slaughter played out his final year of eligibility.
Backup center JP Erram saw limited action for the Blue Eagles last season after suffering an ACL injury late last year.
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