Bonleon to miss next UAAP, cites ‘burnout’

ANOTHER Growling Tiger will not suit up for UST in the next UAAP basketball wars.

Hot-shooting Mario Bonleon will skip UAAP Season 80 after a dismal Season 79 campaign, which saw the Tigers plummet to last place.

“Nawalan na ako ng passion tapos na-burnout na ako sa basketball,” Bonleon told the Varsitarian.

Bonleon is the second player to miss the upcoming UAAP after point guard Renzo Subido announced his departure from the Tigers on Twitter last May 4.

Bonleon played in only three of UST’s 14 games this year after a wrist injury forced him to the sidelines for the rest of the season.

Subido and Bonleon will focus on their training in the PBA Developmental League.

“I want to prove to myself that I’m not a last placer. ‘Pag ganun pa rin D-League, with all the chances given to me, then I quit basketball,” he said.

Tigers head coach Boy Sablan said Bonleon did not secure the permission of the coaching staff to join the D-League.

“I don’t want to talk about Embons Bonleon. Hindi siya nagpaalam sa akin [at] hindi kami nagkausap. Wala akong dapat sabihin para sa kanya,” Sablan said in an interview.

Bonleon, a sports and wellness management student, averaged 4.5 points per game in his two years with the Tigers.