Foreign student-athlete Mo Tounkara has officially parted ways with the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, according to a report by the Tiebreaker Times on Monday, April 7.

The six-foot-eight Malian center has played in two Basketball Africa League (BAL) matches with Stade Malien averaging nearly six minutes of playing time.

Tounkara scored two points in his debut last Saturday in the loss against Rivers Hoopers while he chipped in five markers in a closely contested 72-69 defeat to Ittihad Alexandria, yesterday.

Tounkara's move to Stade Malien in the BAL makes him ineligible to play next season.

Throughout his lone season, the 21-year-old Malian tallied a career-high 25 points and averaged 13.4 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, breaking the Growling Tigers' five-year Final Four drought.

Tensions between Tounkara and UST’s management simmered throughout the off-season after a report surfaced last December, claiming that Tounkara demanded additional financial support and attempted to connect with a rival team.

Tounkara later refuted the rumors, firmly stating that he had no intentions of leaving the squad.

Other reports however, indicated that he had not returned to campus since the year-end break.

UST is expected to promote backup big man Peter Osang as their primary frontcourt option for Season 88 following Tounkara’s departure from the Tigers’ lair.

The team is yet to make a statement about his departure.