By Gio Gloria

College basketball this time of the year is often marked by player commitments and preseason tournaments, with the biggest name on the market being Andy Gemao. Gemao had often been sighted with the UP Fighting Maroons in recent years, joining their offseason programs here and abroad and even participating in the Fighting Maroons’ preseason tournaments. 

But now, it seems that Gemao has made his college choice, but his destination will require to travel roughly 8,500 miles. 

The Penn State Nittany Lions are no stranger to taking in Filipino basketball players as Stanley Pringle was a former Nittany Lion back in the late 2000s. In fact, 19 former Penn State players have played in the NBA, with two (Jalen Pickett and rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser) currently in the league.  

Committing this early helps Gemao make the transition to the Nittany Lions earlier and he is coming in decent shape. Gemao was wise to join UP in the preseason as it not only afforded him playing opportunities, but it also allowed him to face college competition. Yes, Philippine collegiate basketball is different from that in the US, but they are nonetheless meaningful reps for Gemao, who will be suiting up in the Big Ten, one of the US NCAA’s toughest conferences. 

As great as this development is, though, we know how college basketball works; it is only until the player finally steps onto the court that shows he is truly part of the team. We’ve seen that in the local college basketball scene and this is also a common occurrence even in the US NCAA, especially with the advent of the Name, Likeness, and Image (NIL) policy. 

Beyond that, we’ve seen how local players have fared in the US NCAA. Japeth Aguilar spent a few years with the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, while Kobe Paras was slated to join the UCLA Bruins before heading to the Creighton Blue Jays. Paras then joined the Fighting Maroons for Season 82 before turning pro. 

Gemao will learn from the journeys of those who came before him, but he should forge his own path and avoid listening to unsolicited advice, which he may be no stranger to at this point. It’s on him if he wants to leave school early or complete his eligibility before going pro or doing a quick stint with UP. But regardless of what he chooses, it’s important he considers his long-term development and the reps he will get to demonstrate his progress. The former Letran Squire is entering a situation where he’s not the best player on the team, but he will nonetheless come away a better player than when he enters Penn State’s campus in the coming months. 

Andy Gemao continues to follow the path great basketball players take to bring their game to the next level: Stepping out of his comfort zone to refine his game. He did that when he left the comforts of Letran to pursue basketball abroad. He did that again when he joined the UP Fighting Maroons for offseason stints despite being years younger than his teammates. Now, Gemao is set to do that again with the US NCAA’s Penn State Nittany Lions.

This is the latest stop in his journey to the NBA, and while the end-goal is well and good, appreciating the journey will prepare him for what lies ahead.