San Beda not losing sleep over Miller’s exit

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San Beda not losing sleep over Miller’s exit image

Photo: NCAA Philippines

By Raymond Reyes

Janti Miller has formalized his exit from San Beda University following a championship run in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 101 men’s basketball tournament.

But head coach Yuri Escueta is not losing sleep over yet another star leaving the Red Lions’ den.

The 6-foot-4 scorer from Fairfield, California announced on Wednesday that he is moving to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) to play for De La Salle University. The move stems from Miller’s strong intention to compete in the UAAP while San Beda, for its part, is expected to remain in the NCAA.

Photo: NCAA Philippines

Still, Escueta wishes his top scorer well as Miller enters a new chapter in his young career.

“We are going to be fine, and we are wishing for him to spread his wings further with La Salle,” said Escueta, who also serves as an assistant coach for TNT Tropang 5G in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Miller quickly became a household name in his first and lone season in the country’s oldest collegiate league, averaging 20.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.0 assist to emerge as one of the contenders for the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

He eventually earned a Mythical Five citation on top of San Beda’s title, and Escueta acknowledged that these accomplishments factored in Miller becoming a hot commodity in collegiate basketball.

“If you have a chance to get a talent like him, you would definitely do everything to avail of his services. And we understand that, so we are not going to prevent him from doing what he thinks is best for him,” Escueta said.

Miller is the third Red Lions star in recent history to win a championship with San Beda before moving to La Salle.

Evan Nelle and Jacob Cortez both helped San Beda clinch NCAA titles before transferring to La Salle. Both guards eventually won championships with the Green Archers — something Escueta hopes Miller can also achieve.

“I hope that he can continue to develop and prove himself a winner in the UAAP,” he said.

Meanwhile, Escueta stressed that their program remains intact despite seeing another key player head to Taft Avenue.

“They say that we are a ‘feeder team’ for La Salle, or that we always lose players to them, but we are still winning even after those players have moved,” the two-time NCAA champion mentor said.

Instead of dwelling on departures, Escueta is focusing on the players who remain, and is confident the Red Lions are capable of defending their crown.

“We still have Nygel Gonzales, Jomel Puno, and we have an up-and-coming rookie in Andrei Ugaddan, so again, we will be fine,” he said.

Ugaddan, a 6-foot-3 guard from the Red Cubs program, has already displayed potential during his years in the NCAA junior’s basketball tournament. The 18-year-old also made a lot of heads turn while representing CALABARZON in the 2025 Palarong Pambansa.

And for Escueta, Ugaddan’s skills and their program’s continuity preserve their status as title contenders come next season.

“We are confident in his talent, and we are happy with his attitude. We just need to be patient with him so he can adjust and translate his game to the collegiate ranks,” Escueta said.

San Beda is currently in the third week of its early preparations for Season 102 later this year, and Escueta likes what he is seeing from the returning core.

“We will be fine. We will still be able to compete, so there is nothing to worry about. We just need to be patient again,” he said.

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