Anthony and David Semerad, Fil-Australian twins who played key roles down the stretch of San Beda's recent back to back championship season, have reportedly traded in their Red Lion unis for the blue and white of Ateneo de Manila.
According to a source close to the Red Lions, the duo left earlier this week and will sit out the remainder of the second academic semester to enroll at Ateneo in March, starting with the summer sem of 2012.
News of the twins' move took the San Beda coaching staff by surprise, adds the source.
Anthony Semerad was in and out of the line-up this season, but came on strong towards the tailend. His most memorable game of the season came against San Sebastian in the second round, when he exploded for 10 points in six minutes against the zone of the Golden Stags. Overall, he averaged 6.4 points in 15.7 minutes, while shooting a team-best 39 percent from outside the arc.
David Semerad was San Beda's third-string center, providing additional toughness behind Kyle Pascual and Dave Marcelo, but he strutted his stuff on the largest stage possible: the second game of the NCAA Finals this year, with San Beda already having won the first match. In a defensive grinder of a fourth quarter, David scored seven of his team's nine points, finishing with 15 markers, three rebounds, an assist, a steal and a block in 22 minutes.
In addition to the Semerads, San Beda will lose Dave Marcelo, Garvo Lanete, Mar Villahermosa and Sudan Daniel to either graduation or eligibility. They do however, have a stacked Team B, that features names like Ivan Ludovice (transfer from NU), Art Dela Cruz Jr. (transfer from ADMU), Jaypee Mendoza (former Team A), Fil-Am Julius Armon, and Nigerian Ola Adeogun, plus a champion San Beda Red Cubs team that graduates all but four players.
One hold-up to the integration of the Semerads to the Blue Eagles is how long the two will have to sit out and serve their residency.
Normally, a transfer from a non-UAAP team to a UAAP team will have to sit out a year. That means they become eligible in 2013 or Season 76, when the likes of Nico Salva, Justin Chua, Tonino Gonzaga, and Greg Slaughter and Oping Sumalinog, should they return for their last year of eligibility. Having played two seasons in the NCAA, they can play a maximum of three more years before they turn 26.
The problem though is the fact that the two Semerads played in the inaugural conference of the PBA-Developmental League for the Maynilad team. In the NCAA, this was not a problem because players are allowed to play for a minor league after just one season. The UAAP however requires one to have played at least two seasons before becoming eligible for minor leagues. It thus becomes very possible that the UAAP board might enforce a penalty on the two, such as sitting out an additional year.
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