MANILA, Philippines – San Beda University has long prepared for the eventuality that foreign student-athletes – commonly referred to as "imports" – will no longer be allowed to play in the NCAA.

It was San Beda that started the wave of foreign players in collegiate basketball, when they featured Nigerian Sam Ekwe in NCAA Season 82. Ekwe was nothing short of dominant, and with him leading the charge the Red Lions won three consecutive championships.

READ: Sam Ekwe: Life after San Beda

Since then, foreign student-athletes have become a norm in collegiate basketball, not just in the NCAA and the UAAP, but even in leagues such as the CESAFI in the Visayas. Most of these players are from Africa, including current San Beda big man Donald Tankoua and former De La Salle University standout Ben Mbala.

But the days of foreign student-athletes in the NCAA are numbered. The league confirmed earlier this month that "imports" can only play until Season 95; by 2020, no foreign players will be allowed in the NCAA.

FULL STORY: No more foreign athletes in NCAA by 2020

The league's decision, which applies to all sports, not just basketball, has been greatly debated. San Beda, however, always knew that this time would come, especially after the rule was first discussed 5 years ago.

READ: The championship is always the goal for San Beda

"In 2013, when they imposed that ban . . . alam na namin 'yung magiging sitwasyon namin," San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez said during an appearance on CNN Philippines' "Sports Desk" on Thursday morning. 

"That's why we enrolled Donald, we enrolled everyone who we think will help the team until the end of the ban. Nabigla lang kami na medyo napaaga."

NCAA: San Beda Red Lions weigh in on a reported ban on foreign student-athletes https://t.co/toRCuyScDk pic.twitter.com/6bLep41yNB
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) June 28, 2018

— Boost to basketball programs —

Prepared as they may be, but this does not mean that Fernandez agrees with the NCAA's new ruling. He told CNN Philippines' Andrei Felix that foreign players have gone a long way toward improving collegiate basketball in the country.

"May malalaki nga tayo, (pero) kaunti lang," he said. "So 'yung iba, 'pag hindi makakuha 'yung teams, hindi makakuha ng malaki, medyo may disparity na kaagad."

Foreign big men have been crucial to the revitalization of programs such as Mapua and University of Perpetual Help in recent years. 

The Cardinals memorably made back-to-back runs to the NCAA Final 4 on the strength of two-time Most Valuable Player Allwell Oraeme, while the Altas made waves when they unleashed the pair of Bright Akhuetie and Prince Eze to provide help to Scottie Thompson in Season 91.

A couple of years later, Akhuetie transferred to University of the Philippines, a move that will surely have a massive impact on the Fighting Maroons' fortunes in the UAAP. 

"Kung makakuha ka ng foreign player, at least mate-train ng foreign player 'yung Pilipinong malaki," he added. "So pagdating nila sa future, especially going to the PBA, iba na ang magiging laro niya."

Fernandez pointed out that some NCAA stars who have gone on to great success in the PBA — such as Calvin Abueva, Ian Sangalang, and Raymond Almazan — had their share of battles against foreign players on the collegiate level.

Almazan himself has said that playing against foreign big men such as San Beda's Ola Adeogun helped prepare him for the PBA, especially when it comes to guarding foreign reinforcements during the third and second conferences.

"Marami talagang natulong ang foreign players," said Fernandez. 

And it's a relationship that goes both ways, as the foreign athletes get an opportunity to study.

"Nakakatulong idn tayo sa kanila, kasi napapa-graduate natin sila. Pag-uwi nila sa kanilang country, makakapag-trabaho din sila," said Fernandez. "So it's a give-and-take relationship."

— 'Why not?' —

San Beda's star guard, Robert Bolick, is also of the opinion that foreign student-athletes should be allowed to play in the Philippines. 

In the same interview on "Sports Desk," he posed a hypothetical situation, saying: "Tayo nga, 'di ba, gusto natin na may Pinoy na player sa NBA. Sana, may Pinoy naman na makapasok."

"Paano kapag nag-ban din sila doon, na puro Amerikano lang, di ba? Masama naman ata," he pointed out.

Besides, the foreign players have no malicious intentions in coming to the country, Bolick said.

"Hindi naman sila pumunta dito para manggulo," he said. These foreign athletes only came to the Philippines to study and play basketball – making them similar to overseas Filipino workers.

"Like some of our Filipino kababayans, gusto rin pumunta sa ibang bansa para magka-pera, makatulong. So why not? Give and take lang," said Bolick.

"Gusto lang nila pumunta dito para mag-aral, to play the game," he stressed. "Kasi, doon siguro sa kanila, hindi sila masyado ganoon din kagagaling, so they tried other places. And then, the Philippines is one of the biggest sa basketball."

"So why not help them?" Bolick said. "Kasi 'yung ibang bansa, tinutulungan din naman tayo."

San Beda will still feature a foreign student-athlete this year, with Tankoua set to see action for the three-peat seeking Red Lions in the NCAA Season 94 men's basketball tournament. The soft-spoken center, who was the Finals MVP last season, says he has enjoyed his time in the Philippines and is clearly disappointed at the NCAA's decision.

"It's not really necessary to ban foreign players," said Tankoua on "Sports Desk." "Imagine, like Kobe Paras when he was playing in the US? He was representing the Philippines."

"It's like us also," he said.

For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.

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