University of the East absorbed another blow in its build-up for UAAP Season 86.
Kyle Paranada left UE on Thursday evening, leaving the season hosts with a huge hole to fill in the guard position.
The development was first reported by Rappler’s Naveen Ganglani and confirmed to Tiebreaker Times by multiple team insiders closely monitoring the situation.
“He suddenly gave a letter to us saying that he is leaving the team,” one of the sources who requested anonymity told Tiebreaker Times.
“Siyempre, nagulat kami kasi babad naman siya sa amin. All I can say is poaching.”
Paranada is set to transfer to University of Santo Tomas.
Vital has been the 5-foot-9 guard to the Red Warriors over the past two seasons.
In 28 games played, he averaged 9.85 points, 2.78 rebounds, 2.75 assists, and 1.53 steals per contest — including highs of 11.64 points, 2.86 rebounds, 4.21 assists, and 1.64 steals in his sophomore year.
He only played three games in the 2023 Filoil Ecooil Preseason Cup, norming 9.0 points, 3.7 assists, 2.7 assists, and 2.3 steals.
With Paranada out, sophomore Noy Remogat has to hasten his development.
It has been a tough off-season for UE as it also lost Gani Stevens and Harvey Pagsanjan.
He still has two years of eligibility left.
