Jerom Lastimosa penned a heartfelt farewell to Adamson University and its supporters after five colorful seasons with the Soaring Falcons.
The heady and high-scoring guard took to social media to express his gratitude to the school that gave him a chance to showcase his talents in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines and to the community that showed him love throughout his collegiate career.
“Thank you so much for the five years, Adamson, coaches, bosses, Klasmeyts, and the UAAP community. There is no Jerom Lastimosa without you,” Lastimosa said in his Instagram post on Christmas Day.
“JL7 signing off!”
The 25-year-old cager had his No. 7 jersey retired before the start of Season 86, recognizing his contribution and achievements as a Falcon and for being a part of the national team that won gold in the 2023 Phnom Penh Southeast Asian Games.
He was expected to bring Adamson to a possible podium finish but was sidelined by a partial anterior cruciate ligament tear he suffered during the preseason.
Lastimosa missed the whole first round of eliminations before suiting up at the start of the second round only to aggravate his injury into a full ACL tear.
In a dramatic ending to his collegiate stint, the pride of Dumaguete City marched into one final dance late in the playoff for the last Final Four seat match against Ateneo de Manila University.
With the game already decided, Lastimosa was fielded in the dying seconds of the game where he nailed a buzzer-beating three in the Falcons’ 48-70 defeat.
Lastimosa helped Adamson get into the Final Four twice.
He was one of the young guns that powered Gilas Pilipinas in reclaiming the SEA Games gold last May against an American-reinforced Cambodian team. Lastimosa also suited up for Strong Group-Philippines in the 32nd Dubai International Basketball Championship back in February.
The 5-foot-10 guard went under the knife this month and is currently undergoing rehabilitation.
