While their respective collegiate careers are hanging in the balance, the Rivero brothers are wasting no time in sharpening their basketball skills.
Ricci, who took to Twitter to bid farewell to La Salle a week ago, and Prince were seen training with the Gilas 23 for 2023 Cadets on Wednesday at the Meralco Gym. The team will lock horns against some of the best collegiate teams in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup which begins on April 21.
Until he makes the decision on which university he will represent after his exit from the Green Archers, the younger Rivero is going to become a full-time national team player.
"I have until August to decide but for now, my focus is on the national team. We have to be at our best because we are representing the country," Ricci told reporters at the end of practice.
Prince echoed his sentiments. But it seems that the older Rivero will be treading a different path from his brother's.
Although still undecided, Prince is mulling over foregoing his remaining playing years in college and jumping to the semi pros this year.
"As of now I'm gonna focus on the RP team and try to get drafted in D-League. I have a lot of time to decide whether to continue playing for college or go to semi pro already or focus on RP," said Prince, who suited up for the Gilas Cadets that captured the gold in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games in Singapore.
"Like what I said earlier, this is my dream. I'm not wasting another chance to wear the national team colors again. So I'm gonna prioritize this," he said.
In between training sessions, though, Prince will find the time to study as he hopes to finish college soonest time possible.
"I'm also gonna study because I'm also finished with school. It's really nice to play college ball at the same time finish my studies because we don't know what will happen in the future, he said.
"At least if my basketball career doesn't pan out (knocks on wood), I have something to fall back on."