Encho Serrano has decided to move on to the next stage of his career.
The 21-year-old guard is set to join the Pampanga Delta in the National Basketball League-Philippines.
Though a guest player in the homegrown professional league, Serrano will no longer be eligible to play in the UAAP.
And it was a hard decision to make but it was the advice given to him by Pampanga’s head honcho Delta Pineda.
“Simula ng umalis na ako sa La Salle, wala na akong balak na maglaro pa sa UAAP. Ayoko rin kasi makalaban yung La Salle. Kaya yun ang napagdesisyonan namin na maglaro muna dito sa Pampanga,” he said.
“Hindi naman ako magdadalawang isip dahil Pampanga ‘yun and nagtitiwala lang ako sa mga desisyon ng coach ko dito sa Pampanga at sa boss namin na si Governor Dennis ‘Delta’ Pineda. Gusto ko rin bigay yung best ko para sa Pampanga. Nandito na ako at tignan na lang natin kung ano yung mangyayari sa akin.”
The 6-foot guard played for two years in La Salle. He normed 7.62 points, 3.03 rebounds, and 1.31 assists per game.
Serrano admitted that his family played a huge factor in his decision to leave the collegiate scene for a while.
“Sobrang laking factor nila sa akin dahil sa kanila ako kumukaha ng lakas. Pati na rin yung girlfriend ko na lagi nagga-guide sa akin.”
This is not Serrano’s first stint in the NBL.
Before the pandemic hit, he played six games for Delta, averaging 19.8 points per game.
This time around, he will get to play alongside Ronald Pascual — one of his childhood heroes.
“Siyempre, lagi naman akong go hard. Gusto ko maging proud yung Pampanga sa amin. Pag-Pampanga lagi sinasabi na iba yung players parang sila Kuya Calvin [Abueva]. Gusto namin sumunod sa yapak nila,” he said.
“Talagang nakaka-inspire talaga maglaro.”
