La Salle secures Luis Pablo transfer

c/o John Mauricio

Luis Pablo has decided to return to the roost.

The NCAA Season 98 Juniors Basketball Most Valuable Player has transferred to La Salle after spending his freshman campaign at the University of the Philippines.

According to the nineteen-year-old, he opted to portal over because he felt that could fulfill his potential under head coach Topex Robinson.

Pablo shares, "Gusto ko rin ipakita kung ano pa yung mga kaya kong gawin. Nakaka-excite na mabibigyan ako ng chance na mas maipakita yun."

He adds, "Sisiguraduhin ko lang na talagang mapapakita ko at hihigitan ko pa yung mga expectations ng mga tao, mas lalo na sa sarili ko."

In what would be his only season in Diliman, Luis averaged 1.5 points and 1.75 rebounds on just over nine minutes of action.

Looking to grow further both as a student and an athlete, he immediately tried to find his way back home to the green and white.

With the transfer in place, La Salle team official Awoo Lacson shares, "First of all, we’re very very excited that he’s considering coming back to De La Salle. He’s one of our sons in our La Salle program and we want them back. We want them to play for us. We want to win with them. It’s our commitment to help them become winners."

He also notes, "I think Luis’ abilities cannot be measured at this point. He is full of potential. He will be able to mature to become a very dependable veteran. I think he’s going to help our program be successful for the years to come."

Pablo may leave his former La Salle-Greenhills teammates Seven Gagate and Joshua Coronel behind, but he will be reunited with his fellow Greenies Rocco Zamora, Ethan Alian, and Santi Romero in Taft.

The forward will also join Prince Rivero as LSGH alums who earned MVP nods to play in the senior ranks at DLSU.

Ultimately, it was in Pablo’s destiny to find his way back to La Salle.

He says, "Tiwala ako sa plano ni Lord sa akin. Pinakinggan ko talaga yung family ko — yung mother ko at yung father ko. Tingin din nila na makakabuti ito sa akin."

Luis also believes that he won't have to make major adjustments by transferring. "Galing naman ako sa La Salle kaya hindi na rin bago sa akin yung culture dito."

Pablo will sit out the upcoming season for the Green Archers, as they make their title defense this year. He will join recent transferees Jacob Cortez and Kean Baclaan in Season 88. The three look to become key pieces in what would be Mike Phillips' final season, backstopped by both Raven Cortez and foreign student-athlete Henry Agunnane.

Luis is stoked to be alongside his soon-to-be backcourt teammates. "Sobrang nakaka-excite maging kakampi sila hindi ko pa na-experience eh," he said. "Magiging exciting. Talagang excited na rin ako."