This early in the second round of the NCAA Season 94 Seniors Basketball tournament, the San Sebastian College-Recoletos Golden Stags are already at the brink of elimination. And unfortunately, they could not avoid but point at RK Ilagan as the reason for their downfall.
Five games into the season, the Golden Stags were at the middle of the pack with a 2-3 record. However, he was caught playing in a league not sanctioned by the NCAA nor had clearance from San Sebastian.
As the investigation went on, San Sebastian took matters upon themselves, suspending the third-year guard for the next five games. The repercussions resulted to San Sebastian forfeiting their first two wins to end the first round with a 1-9 slate.
Ilagan could not help but be regretful to the mistake that he did.
“Kinausap ko sila at humingi ng pasensya sa nangyari. Nangulelat kami, sabi ko lang magtulungan at wag sumuko sa isa’t isa. Every game laban lang,” he expressed.
“Nung mga una po umuwi muna ako sa family ko, after nun nageensayo ako sa Team B. May tumulong sakin doon para magpakundisyon ako. Every hapon nagpapakundisyon ako,” he disclosed about what he did.
Moreover, the first person he immediately apologized to was team captain and graduating senior Michael Calisaan. Calisaan had always wanted to graduate from San Sebastian on a high note.
“Si Kuya Michael ang unang una kong kinausap.
“Humingi ako ng pasensya kasi po mag-PBA na siya tapos yung record ganito. Wala naman, sabi lang niya na bumawi ako para matabunan ang nangyari,” furthered Ilagan.
Tuesday afternoon, the 21-year-old gunslinger returned to San Sebastian’s fold. However, he struggled in his first game back, finishing with 13 points and went just 3-for-11 from the field. Moreover, San Sebastian lost to Lyceum, 70-88, that dropped them to a horrid 1-9 record.
“Nung pagpasok ako medyo naninibago ako. Nanunuyot pa yung lalamunan ko, masaya ako na nakabalik ako kaya lang kinulang kami,” he reflected.
With the predicament they are in, Ilagan only has one goal in mind: to make it up to San Sebastian.
“Nung una naman po after nun sabi nila na bumawi lang ako. Tapos na po yun wala na po akong magagawa kundi bumawi na lang po,” the San Sebastian lifer said.
“At huwag na maglaro ng ligang labas. Medyo delikado.”
