Goldwin Monteverde could not hide his pride as former pupil Andy Gemao achieved a lifelong goal: committing to an NCAA Division I program at Penn State ahead of the 2026–2027 Big Ten season.
For Monteverde, the moment felt like watching a long-term project finally come to fruition.
He was among the first to recognize Gemao’s potential, having recruited the 6-foot-2 guard for the National University Nazareth School Bullpups.
(C) Julius Domondon/Tiebreaker Times
Gemao would later briefly reconnect with Monteverde, training with the UP Fighting Maroons and even suiting up in pre-season tournaments. His last appearance came against the College of Saint Benilde in the 2026 Asiabasket National Student-Athletes Championship last April 25.
While his stint with UP was short-lived, Monteverde took pride in seeing the top Filipino prospect of the Class of 2026 officially commit to the Penn State Nittany Lions, under head coach Mike Rhoades.
“We’re all very happy for Andy. Alam naman natin na ever since, yung dream niya was to be able to play [in an NCAA Division 1 school]. Trinabaho niya yan, I think, for the past two to three years,” Monteverde told Tiebreaker Times following the Fighting Maroons’ 82-78 win over the UST Growling Tigers to open the 19th Filoil Ecooil Preseason Cup, Sunday afternoon.
Naturally, the two-time UAAP men’s basketball champion coach admitted there was a lingering sense of “what could have been” for a UP program that could have maximized Gemao’s all-around game — especially after the departure of the “Maroon 5”, consisting of Harold Alarcon, Terrence Fortea, Reyland Torres, Gerry Abadiano, and Janjan Felicilda.
Still, Monteverde was quick to emphasize that any sense of missed opportunity was ultimately outweighed by pride in seeing Gemao follow in the footsteps of Filipinos like Kobe Paras (Creighton University) and Japeth Aguilar (Western Kentucky University), who also reached the NCAA Division I stage.
“Of course, siyempre, we really wanted him to be a part of UP. Pero lahat kami, as a team, even managers, very happy na yung goal niya right now ay na-achieve niya,” Monteverde said.
“We’re proud na nakuha niya at yung dream niya, naabot niya. I trust naman yung mga players na nandito na they will be able to do kung ano dapat nila gawin. And we wish him all the luck.”
More than just Gemao’s development through NUNS, Letran, Veritas Academy, and Royal Crown, Monteverde also took pride in how the UP program played a role in sharpening him for the next level.
Through daily battles in practice and learning from the likes of Noy Remogat and James Payosing, Gemao was able to gain valuable experience before taking his talents to a Penn State squad looking to rebound from a 3–17 campaign in the 2025–26 Big Ten season.
“I guess yung unang taon niya sa amin, yung mga experiences niya out of the country, I think kahit papaano he had an early taste of what it takes to play sa ganitong level. Hopefully, the way kung paano kami nag-eensayo, I think nadala naman niya. Nakita ko naman ever since nung pandemic, this kid really worked hard. Para sa akin, he deserves it,” Monteverde shared.
“Sa akin, si Noy [Remogat]. Si Noy, Kuya naman sa lahat si Noy, kumbaga at the same time si James [Payosing] din. More on his side, he has really more to share din sa amin. Kung papaano niya kausapin yung mga bago, malaking bagay sa amin ‘yon.”
