MANILA, Philippines — The Colegio de San Juan de Letran on Saturday announced the death of former Knights basketball player Jimly Lantaya.
Lantaya, a member of two Knights teams that won NCAA championships, was only 24 years old.
“We join the Lantaya family in mourning the passing of Jimly Lantaya, a former Letran Knight who proudly brought honor to the Colegio as part of the NCAA championship teams in Seasons 97 and 98,” his alma mater said in a Facebook post.
“Thank you, Jimly, for your dedication and contributions to the Letran community,” they added.
Reports said that the former big man’s death was due to “heart complications from a thoracic aortic aneurysm”, had surgery earlier this year and was recovering at his General Santos City home.
Lantaya last played for the South Cotabato Warriors of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League and the GenSan Warriors of the Pilipinas Super League.