MANILA, Philippines -- Recently crowned NCAA champion Jacob Cortez is taking his talents to the UAAP.
The 5-foot-11 Cortez, who won the NCAA championship in Season 99 with the San Beda Red Lions, is going to a still-undisclosed UAAP school, he announced Thursday morning.
“With great difficulty, I have decided that my time as a Red Lion is closing and would like to officially announce that I will not be playing for San Beda University in the upcoming season,” the guard said in an Instagram post.
“Challenging, improving and growing is always my goal, and so I have decided that to achieve this, I need to get out of my comfort zone. With that, I plan to compete in the UAAP,” he added.
The scoring guard averaged 15.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.4 blocks in 18 elimination games for San Beda.
In the best-of-three foinals series against the Mapua Cardinals, Cortez averaged 13.7 points, 4.0 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 steals a game.
“I have had THE BEST time at San Beda. From playing as a rookie fresh out of high school in an isolating yet invigorating bubble season to helping bring back the crown where it belongs after many have counted San Beda out,” Cortez said.
Cortez, son of La Salle legend MIke Cortez, also thanked his teammates, coaches, managers, basketball staff members, classmates, teachers and the San Beda fans for his time in the Lions’ den.
Immediately after winning the championship, “The Cool Cub” bared that he has been receiving various offers to play in the UAAP.