6-7 MIGS PALANCA MULLS OVER FUTURE AFTER INITIAL COMMITMENT TO NU

A promising prospect standing at 6-foot-7 and just 19 years of age is back in the wild, with more than a few UAAP and NCAA teams expressing interest in luring him to their camps.

To do so, however, Migs Palanca had to decommit from National U - now revealed as the player Bulldogs sources were telling SPIN.ph about.

READ: SOURCES SAY NU's about to lose blue-chip recruit to rival UAAP school

Last Friday, the blue-and-gold side shared what they deemed to be crystal clear display of poaching, as Palanca, who had declared in March he was staying in Jhocson and has been included in the team's preseason rosters, went home to Cabadbaran, Agusan Del Norte to be with his family as they re-assessed his future.

PHOTO: UAAP Media Bureau

Palanca broke out in his last season in the high school ranks, posting per game counts of 9.1 points in 57-percent shooting, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks for Season 87 silver medalist NU-Nazareth School. He was later selected as an NBTC All-Star, alongside the likes of UAAP boys MVP Kieffer Alas and NCAA juniors MVP Lebron Jhames Daep.

READ: 6-7 rising star Migs Palanca moves up from Bullpups to Bulldogs

With his height and work ethic, the versatile big has the potential to be a cornerstone for a contender, whether alongside a foreign student-athlete in the UAAP or as the main man in the middle in the NCAA.

According to sources close to Palanca and his family, he had always desired discussions about his future with those outside NU. Out of respect to his alma mater he continues to love, however, he gave his word that he would be moving up to their seniors squad.

Early last week, although belatedly, he finally decided to give in to his desire, backtracking from his initial commitment.

PHOTO: UAAP Media Bureau

While remaining, this time officially, with the Bulldogs is a possibility as per a source, Palanca hopes to take his time to decide what's best for him. The next season of both the NCAA and UAAP are tentatively scheduled for September.

Bad news, good news, NU

Nonetheless, the development continues to sting for National U.

As one of the sources from their side shared, "Ang pakiusap lang naman namin sa mga kapwa coaches, wag nang kausapin at kunin yung mga player na tine-train since high school pa lang at inaasahang makakatulong sa seniors. Kami sa NU, yung high school grassroots, pinaghihirapan at pinagtiyatiyagaan namin. Respeto na lang sana."

PHOTO: UAAP Media Bureau

The good news for them is that Mac Alfanta, the other Bullpup recognized as NBTC All-Star, is still set to be promoted to the Bulldogs. He joins Steve Nash Enriquez, Reinhard Jumamoy, Jedric Solomon, and Jid Locsin as homegrown players.

2025-06-08T06:09:04Z