New squad Quezon Huskers waged a recruiting coup when it landed reigning National Collegiate Athletic Association Most Valuable Player Will Gozum for the 2023 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League starting 11 March at the Quezon Convention Center.
Huskers team manager Donn Rico Kapunan said Gozum’s addition will be a major boost to their bid of coming up with a solid, hard-fighting team in the fifth season of the country’s most prestigious regional basketball league.
The 23-year-old Gozum is tipped to become the focal point of the Huskers’ attack.
The 6-foot-7 forward is fresh from a banner season after winning the MVP plum and leading College of Saint Benilde to a return to the NCAA finals after two decades of absence.
He also suited up for Strong Group Realty in which he played alongside former National Basketball Association players Nick Young and Renaldo Balkman as well as some of the country’s elite players outside the Philippine Basketball Association like Justin Baltazar, Sedrick Barefield and Ange Kouame.
“He is going to serve as the face of the Quezon franchise,” said Kapunan, who leads the management team composed of assistant manager Magnum Membrere and Jaggie Gregorio with former Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas team manager Patrick Gregorio as consultant.
“Will’s inclusion is truly a major boost to our team. If we just wanted to simply join before, now, I can say that we will be able to compete. We will go wherever Will, our franchise player, will bring us.”
Aside from Gozum, also part of the fledgling team that is co-owned by Quezon Rep. Keith Micah Tan and San Andres, Quezon Mayor Ralph Edward Lim are former University of the Philippines standouts AJ Madrigal, CJ Catapusan, and Brix Ramos; former University of the East stalwart Allan Beltran; and former National University cager RJ Minerva.
Veteran tactician Eric Gonzales will serve as head coach while Richie Ticzon, Luis Nolasco, and Ed Dela Torre will be his deputies with Jonathan de Guzman as strength and conditioning mentor.
Gozum, however, will suit up for the Huskers using a Special Guest License from the Games and Amusement Board, prompting him to preserve his eligibility status in the country’s oldest collegiate league.
Kapunan said they will support Gozum whatever happens.
“Whether he goes back to the NCAA or plays in Japan, Korea, Taiwan or the PBA, we will support him all the way. The fact that we became part of his basketball journey is already an honor,” Kapunan said.
“But for now, we will savor every moment having him around and hope that he helps us reach our ultimate goal, which is to win the MPBL title for the province of Quezon.”