JAKE Figueroa never wanted his National U story to end this way, but as the Bulldogs make an unceremonious exit from the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball tournament, he's opting to go soul-searching for the time being.
"Gusto ko muna mag-relax," said the 6-foot-3 star, courageously speaking to the media following a 78-73 defeat to La Salle on Saturday that eliminated the top-seeded Bulldogs.
READ: La Salle leashes top dog NU to set up another finals date with UP
But don't bet on that time away to be that long.
SPIN.ph sources shared that Figueroa is in talks with a few Korean Basketball League (KBL) teams which are interested to acquire his services midway through the ongoing season.
It's a prospect that has been on the backburner for quite a while now, with Korean scouts keeping a close eye on the development of the Kapampangan forward since last year.
They even watched a few of the Bulldogs' games this season, witnessing firsthand what the presumptive Mythical Team member can do on the floor.
Yet for the time being, Figueroa is just soaking in the applause, as he makes his curtain call in Jhocson.
"Sobrang blessed ko na tinapos ko yung playing years ko sa NU. Sobrang ganda nung journey na tinahak namin, lalo kaming mga seniors," said the former UAAP Juniors MVP, grateful for the five years he spent under the guidance of coach Jeff Napa and promising to take all of those lessons to heart.
"Ang dami kong natutunan, yung pagiging leader at mature sa loob ng court. Yun naman ever since yung sinasabi sa akin ni coach, yung maturity talaga."
It's a NU day, yes it is
And though he fell short in his quest to bring the championship back to NU, Figueroa has no doubt about the abilities of the holdovers to keep the Bulldogs competitive come Season 89.
It's just up to the rest of the team to step up and exceed what they've done in this campaign.
"Every year is a different story, so sinabi ko lang sa kanila na i-cherish nila yun," he said. "May tiwala naman kami sa mga maiiwan."
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