Troy Rike will play for National University in UAAP Season 81 after all.
NU coach Jamike Jarin confirmed this development during the press launch on Monday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
"Troy Rike will play this Saturday," Jarin said.
The Bulldogs will take on the rebuilding UST to usher in the new UAAP men's basketball season at the same venue.
A few days ago, the 22-year-old Fil-Am was ruled ineligible to play for the Bulldogs. Rike posted a tweet saying he won't be able to suit up for the team "due to factors out of my control."
"The news was devastating to me and I feel great regret that I won't be able to take the floor with my teammates this season," he said in the tweet.
But Rike told ESPN5 he got the green light to suit up for the upcoming season after his papers from the U.S. got released.
"Yeah I'm playing. My papers just finally got released. I'm good to play," Rike said in a message on Monday.
NU will bank on a young core led by Rike, Rev Diputado, and newcomer Shaun Ildefonso when the Bulldogs plunge into action starting this weekend.
Information from ESPN5's JC Ansis was used in this report.