ENOCH VALDEZ INKS TWO-YEAR DEAL WITH NLEX

Enoch Valdez has signed a two-year contract with NLEX shortly after ending his colorful collegiate stint with Lyceum of the Philippines University in the NCAA Season 99.

The Road Warriors announced Valdez' signing on Tuesday alongside fellow rookie Jhan Nermal. The two were the 18th and the 21st overall picks of the Road Warriors during the recent PBA Draft.

"We are thrilled to welcome Enoch Valdez and Jhan Nermal to the NLEX Road Warriors family. Both players have showcased exceptional talent, and we believe they will be instrumental in our pursuit of success,” said newly-appointed team governor Ronald Dulatre in a statement.

The 6-foot-3 Valdez recently steered LPU to the Final Four where they held a twice-to-beat advantage, but they fell twice to San Beda University to exit the tournament.

In his five years with LPU, Valdez only missed the Final Four once as he helped the squad plunge to the semifinals during his rookie and sophomore years in Seasons 94 and 95. They missed out on it in Season 97 but returned for back-to-back appearances in Seasons 98 and 99.

Valdez, one of the frontrunners for the MVP plum, led LPU with team-highs 15.11 points and 7.84 rebounds alongside 2.26 assists, 1.79 steals, and 0.42 blocks.

The shifty baller will join an NLEX squad that is currently on a two-game slump after bowing out to Meralco and Magnolia in the ongoing 2023 PBA Commissioner's Cup. His addition is expected to add a boost to the Road Warriors that already feature Don Trollano, Brando Ganuelas-Rosser, Kris Rosales, Sean Anthony, and import Stokley Chaffee.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News

This article Enoch Valdez inks two-year deal with NLEX was originally published in GMA News Online.

2023-12-05T09:05:53Z dg43tfdfdgfd