“It’s sad and frustrating to let go one of hottest players in the land, but we will not stand in the way of one’s desire and happiness. So with a heavy heart, we are trading our top star Terrence Romeo to TNT Katropa,” GlobalPort management said in a statement.
The Batang Pier shipped Romeo and Yousef Taha to TNT in exchange of Mo Tautuaa and a pair of future draft picks on Tuesday, ending their five-year partnership with the super scorer.
With Romeo, GlobalPort reached its first ever semifinals back in the 2016 Philippine Cup.
The former FEU stalwart has also etched his name as one of the league’s brightest stars, winning the scoring title thrice and earning a spot in Gilas Pilipinas.
However, things didn’t go as planned this past conference, where Romeo played only two games due to a knee injury.
He struggled in the two games, averaging only 17.0 points, and the Batang Pier were sent into an exit in the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals.
Not helping was his clash with coach Pido Jarencio in the third quarter of GlobalPort’s 79-86 defeat where the two had a shouting match during a timeout.
Still, GlobalPort remained grateful for the time they had with Romeo.
“This is a win-win solution for us and the camp of Terrence. We have so much respect for the guy,” the statement continued. “We, as a team, must move on towards our main goal, which is to get better and contend for our first-ever championship. Besides, Tautuaa could be the missing link to our championship aspirations.”
Good start in PBA
Meanwhile, Romeo was nothing but grateful as he leaves the confines of GlobalPort.
In a lengthy post on his Instagram account, the three-time Scoring Champion expressed gratitude for his five-year stay with the Batang Pier, who drafted him as the fifth overall pick in the 2013 PBA Draft.
“I would like to thank God because He gave me a good start in the PBA through GlobalPort.”
The former FEU stalwart also gave thanks to the management, headed by owner Mikee Romero, as well as the team managers, the head coaches he played for, and the GlobalPort fans for supporting him.
“If not for you, I won’t be where I am today. It has been truly an era and I am grateful for all my experiences and lessons I learned,” he wrote.