Lastimosa confirms he won't play for St. Benilde next season

COLLEGE of St. Benilde may have seen the last of top gun Carlo Lastimosa.

The 2010 NCAA Rookie of the Year confirmed to Spin.ph on Tuesday that he’ll no longer suit up for the Blazers in the 89th season of the country's oldest collegiate league.

The shooting guard out of Cagayan de Oro, who is currently playing for Fruitas Shakers in the PBA D-League, said it was a personal choice not to play again for the Taft-based school.

“Di na ako maglalaro doon (St. Benilde),” he said. “Personal choice ko na din yun, at saka di na rin ako naka-enrol doon. So di na talaga ako makakalaro sa Benilde.”

The departure of former coach Richard del Rosario, however, has little to do with his decision. Instead, the nephew of former PBA great Jojo Lastimosa said his decision had more to do with a family issue.

"Nagkasabay-sabay lang, umalis sina coach Richard tapos nagka-problema pa sa family ko,” he admitted.

“Pero yung desisyon ko hindi naman dahil sa pag-alis ni coach, na-timing lang.”

While other schools have shown interest in recruiting him, Lastimosa said his full attention is on the PBA D-League at the moment, especially with Fruitas still in the running for a berth in the quarterfinals.

The young gunner, who admits he’s weighing his next career options carefully, still has two more remaining playing years with the Blazers.

“May mga offers naman sa ibang schools kasi pwede pa ako maglaro sa NCAA,” he said without elaborating.

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