College Hoops Is Filled With Sweet Goodbyes
I spent 10 years in the academe as a teacher and administrator. In that decade, I said my fair share of goodbyes. Between students moving to the next level of their education and colleagues deciding to go a different route, my thank yous and good lucks were certainly worn out.
It’s one thing if you can see the departure coming. It’s another thing if you have to part ways unexpectedly. The latter is exactly why Aldous Torculas’ exit from the UP Fighting Maroons is weighing on my mind.
On a roster laden with prolific scoring talent, the 6-foot-4 Torculas earned his minutes by pulling off scrappy plays for the better part of three seasons. If there was such a thing as Prime Aldous, it would have to be his Season 86 version: a workhorse whose impact went beyond numbers on a stat sheet. At his best, Torculas pulled down timely offensive rebounds and salvaged UP possessions by drawing fouls off aggressive drives to the basket.
I mean this in the best possible way: Torculas cleaned up garbage for the Maroons, and he did it in a way that hoops junkies would appreciate. Time and time again, he came to the rescue when his teammates bricked shots or got blown by on the defensive end. Remember that well-timed block on Joshua David back in Season 86, when Torculas helped protect a slim fourth-quarter lead en route to a UP win over DLSU?
Alas, the high-flying, hardworking glue guy from Malabon is taking his talents to the NCAA. On Feb. 8, Torculas went on Instagram to post a farewell message to the UP community:
“Walang kapantay ang suporta at pagmamahal na binibigay niyo sa amin at sa akin,” Torculas wrote. “I am and always will be grateful that I got the opportunity to play for and represent one of the best schools in the country, UP. Salamat, UP.”
I’m not here to judge or criticize Torculas’ decision to leave the Maroon camp. I don’t even have any intel on which NCAA school he’ll be joining. At this point, it doesn’t really matter. What I want to reflect on is the reality of student-athletes’ stints in their respective sports. Heck, who am I kidding—the reality of life.
Torculas’ departure caught me by surprise because I thought that he’d be playing for at least one more year, or maybe even maximize his college stay by sticking around for his fifth UAAP season. His exit from UP reminds me that college hoops is as characterized by definitive goodbyes—whether anticipated or not—as electrifying arrivals.
Hey, I’m not callous: I recognize that departures like these can be extremely tough for a team’s loyal followers. I’m sad to see Aldous go, but I’m pretty sure there are UP fans out there who are way more distraught after growing to love his game and his character over the past three years. Unfortunately, the UAAP isn’t a league in which you can suit up for the same team for over a decade.
They’re not pros, my friend—they’re students who all have to leave their campus behind one day.
I can only wonder, then, how DLSU fans are feeling after CJ Austria decided to forgo his fifth year to go pro. What about UE supporters who have seen promising youngsters like Gani Stevens, Kyle Paranda, and Rey Remogat jump ship? On the other side of Katipunan, I’d go ahead and speculate that Kai Ballungay and even Jared Brown broke some blue hearts.
(I’m not even going to mention Mason Amos. Oh wait.)
The reality is, in this day and age of college basketball, there are more factors than ever that can cause student-athletes to hang up their university jerseys. 20 years ago, players had lengthier stays with their respective institutions more often than not. Now, aside from the ticking hourglass also known as years of eligibility, the prospect of being enticed by another team—or, indeed, another league or even another country—is a driving force behind player departures.
So how do fans like us deal with this reality? It’s simple: We accept it. Just like our favorite athletes do on the court, we can choose not to dwell on the loss. Rather, it might be better for our health if we view the future of our team and our dearly beloved players through the lens of optimism.
A good place to start, of course, is to take the time and opportunity to express our gratitude to the players who toiled on and off the court to help propel our teams to success. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be like that rich guy in Dallas who made dismissive comments on an ex-cornerstone player like he was nothing.
Back to you, Aldous. Salamat sa iyo.
By the Numbers
91
The age in years of Hubie Brown when he called the final game of his broadcast career. On Monday (Manila time), the venerable Brown—a two-time NBA Coach of the Year who has commentated over 600 games—put down the headset for good after presenting the Philadelphia 76ers-Milwaukee Bucks game. Nearly four years ago, I was sad to see Marv Albert leave the commentary booth. Now, I feel a void in my eardrums after Dr. Brown’s exit. His intelligent dissection of the game is simply unmatched.
69.2
The shooting percentage of Adrian Nocum in the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters’ Game 3 win over the Converge FiberXers. The Tondo native’s scoring efficiency was instrumental in RoS’ 112-103 victory that booked them a seat in the Commissioner’s Cup semis against TNT Tropang Giga. Nocum, who was picked last in the second round of the 2023 PBA Draft, is the latest Yeng Guiao disciple to blossom into stardom after going under the radar of fans and coaches alike. I am unable, however, keep a straight face while listening to coach Yeng refer to Nocum’s “macho dancing” during a recent post-game interview. I can’t with you, Coach.
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Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!
