THOUGHTS | JANTI MILLER IS OUT OF SAN BEDA

The NCAA heads had two things working against them.

First, it was clear that the MVP race should have been between Janti Miller and Jonathan Manalili. I am a fan of Allen Liwag, but he had too many DNPs and only averaged 8.7 points and 11.0 rebounds in their semifinal series against the San Beda Red Lions. I know the semifinal numbers should not really determine the MVP, but Miller averaged 27.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in that same series. More importantly, San Beda still won the title without Miller, who was suspended because of a questionable flop violation.

Look, I know flopping is wrong, and it is against NCAA rules, but that call set off a chain of events that may have robbed the league of the Miller versus Manalili rivalry that could have boosted their ratings.

Also, I thought the suspension was completely messed up. Just like what happened to Fran Yu, the league kept its best players off the floor when they should have been playing in the finals. The fans did not pack the Araneta Coliseum just to watch their stars linger in the tunnel or scroll through their phones in front of a locker room monitor.

If Miller did not injure anyone or pull a John Amores on an opponent, then the most the administrators should have done was impose a fine or carry the suspension over to the start of the next season.

What makes it even more absurd is that both teams with suspended players after Game 2 still went on to win the championship.

At this point, it almost sends the message that if you want to win a title, maybe your star players should just flop as much as possible in Game 2 to secure the crown.

Here is the bigger issue. Miller has already left San Beda to move to the UAAP, and he reportedly has three options: DLSU, UP, or Ateneo. My guess is that he is most likely headed to UP, with DLSU as the next best option to replace Jacob Cortez and Kean Baclaan after their graduation.

While I do not fully agree with his decision because he may have to sit out two years for what could end up being a one-and-done stint, it feels like Miller has been set on leaving ever since what happened in Game 2. There were also rumors that San Beda might move to the UAAP, which means he technically could have just waited. But maybe staying in the NCAA would have only strengthened San Beda’s dominance, considering their number of titles since the turn of the century, and that might be why the school was not in a rush to move leagues.

You also cannot ignore the possibility that Miller now has real issues with the NCAA. If that is the case, then this was the right time for him to leave, especially with the current UAAP eligibility rules. Think about it. He is so determined to get out of the NCAA that he is willing to lose years of his collegiate career just to make the jump.

This highlights the fundamental difference between the two leagues. In the UAAP, players become stars. In the NCAA, players are built to become pros. The UAAP has glam, while the NCAA has grit. That is why the pro careers of Calvin Abueva and Jeron Teng have turned out so differently.

Miller is probably considering this reality. In the PBA, he may never build the same kind of fanbase that he could in the UAAP.

So why give up a sure thing?

If I were Miller, I would also seriously consider opportunities outside the Philippines. Even as a scoring-first player, playing abroad could significantly boost his PBA Draft stock. He may be turnover-prone, but his size and athleticism would fit well in leagues like the KBL. Being Filipino American also helps, especially as Japan and Korea continue to expand their Asian import pool.

That said, Miller’s departure puts San Beda in a tough spot.

Maybe he always planned to go to the UAAP, but San Beda might have been able to keep him if not for the snub and the suspension. Now, the Red Lions enter Season 102 without Miller, and also without Yukien Andrada, Joe Celzo, and Bryan Sajonia, who have all turned pro after Season 101.

Their core will likely revolve around Jomel Puno, Nygel Gonzales, and whoever emerges between Penny Estacio and Jimmy Reyes in the backcourt. In the frontcourt, it will be a battle among Zed Etulle, Bismarck Lina, and RC Calimag to earn Yuri Escueta’s trust.

They are not completely lost, but they are clearly a step down from their championship team.

Say what you will about Gonzales’ resurgence, but I am certain that Manalili and the Letran Knights are already plotting their revenge. At the same time, San Beda remains one of the best recruiting destinations in the NCAA, and they could still land reinforcements like former UP player Sean Aldous Torculas or former CEU standout Daniel Marcelo.

Still, with Letran building around Manalili, the rise of Perpetual, JRU, and Arellano, and the constant threat of Liwag and the Benilde Blazers, San Beda could have really used a player like Janti Miller to fend off all challengers.

Instead, they head into Season 102 without him, and for the first time in a while, the NCAA title truly feels up for grabs.