MANILA, Philippines – Another key player left the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ nest.

Gab Gomez announced on Monday, March 11, that his Ateneo stint has come to a close, leaving the Blue Eagles’ roster further depleted following the departure of forward Kai Ballungay and one-and-done guard Jared Brown.

“It hurts to let you know that my journey as a Blue Eagle ends and I will be moving forward with my basketball journey,” said Gomez.

“Though my time in Ateneo did not end like how I expected, I still see it as a blessing that I was part of something special. It was still a dream come true.”

A Filipino-Italian, Gomez joined the Blue Eagles in 2020 after being recruited by head coach Tab Baldwin.

He played a key role as Ateneo captured the Season 85 crown in 2022, firing 12 points in the do-or-die Game 3 against the UP Fighting Maroons.

“Winning a chip with the blue and white is something that I will cherish forever,” Gomez said.

“But more than that, I’ll never forget the time spent outside the court – the brotherhood that I was a part of and the people that I met in my stay here.”

His playing time, though, took a hit in Season 86, which saw the Blue Eagles relinquish their crown after a Final Four ouster by twice-to-beat UP.

In the 10 games he played in Season 86, Gomez averaged just under eight minutes and normed 2.5 points and 1 assist per game.

Although leaving, Gomez said he will never stop supporting the school.

“I’m confident that the team will continue to have success and I’m already excited to cheer for them,” he said. – Rappler.com