Isaac Go

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Yap and the surname or paternal family name is Go.

George Isaac Yap Go (born June 7, 1996) is a Filipino-Chinese professional basketball player for the Terrafirma Dyip of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).^[1] He is a three-time UAAP champion with the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

Isaac Go

No. 11 – Terrafirma Dyip
Position	Center / power forward
League	PBA
Personal information
Born	(1996-06-07) June 7, 1996 (age 27) Quezon City, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Listed height	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
Listed weight	230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school	Xavier High School
College	Ateneo de Manila University
PBA draft	2019: Special round, 1st overall^[a]
Selected by the Columbian Dyip
Playing career	2019–present
Career history
2021–present	Terrafirma Dyip
Career highlights and awards
3× UAAP champion (2017–2019) Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup champion (2018) 2× PCCL champion (2018, 2019) PCCL Finals MVP (2018) PBA D-League champion (2019 Aspirants' Cup) PBA D-League MVP (2019 Aspirants' Cup) PBA D-League Finals MVP (2019 Aspirants' Cup)
Medals Men's Basketball Representing  Philippines Southeast Asian Games 2021 Hanoi Team

Early life and high school career

Go wasn't interested in basketball at a young age. However, Gian, his brother, forced Isaac to play with him.^[2] In grade school, he had minimal playing time on his team.^[2] When he moved up to Xavier High School, he became good enough to represent the Philippines in international tournaments. In 2013, he participated in that year's edition of Adidas Nations.^[3] He was also picked for the NBTC All-Star High School Game in 2014, which featured the country's high school standouts.^[4] He eventually went to Ateneo for college.

College career

In 2015, Go was part of Ateneo's rookie class that included Aaron Black, Jerie Pingoy, Chibueze Ikeh, and the Nieto brothers Mike and Matt.^[5] He could have started playing the previous year, but a shoulder injury kept him out for the whole season.^[6] When he joined the team, Coach Tab Balwin put him on a no-rice diet.^[7] Since then, he has lost 20 pounds.^[7]

In Season 79, Go scored 15 points and 4 rebounds to lead Ateneo in a win against the UST Growling Tigers, which was his college career-high.^[8][9] For that performance, he was awarded Player of the Week.^[9] In the Final Four against the FEU Tamaraws, he scored 12 points and 14 to send Ateneo to the Finals.^[10] They lost to the DLSU Green Archers in the Finals that season.

In Season 80, Go scored 11 points in the first half against to give UST their 5th straight loss.^[11] The Eagles would eventually win all but one game (which was against the Archers) in the elimination round.^[12] In their Final Four rematch against FEU, Ateneo lost Game 1.^[13] But in Game 2, he tied the game with a three-pointer, and the match went on to overtime.^[14] In overtime, he grabbed an offensive rebound and made a bank shot while kneeling on the floor, sealing the game 88–84.^[14] The win sent Ateneo back to the Finals.^[14] In Game 1, he completed a three-point play that sealed the win for Ateneo.^[15] The Eagles lost Game 2,^[16] but won Game 3 on a clutch triple from Go, giving Ateneo their first championship since 2012.^[17]

As defending champions and Ateneo representing the Philippines in that year's Jones Cup, expectations were high for Ateneo in Season 81. Go played a part in mentoring rookie center Angelo Kouame that season.^[18] He scored the most points for Ateneo in a win over the Adamson Soaring Falcons after Adamson beat them in their first match.^[19] They beat the UP Fighting Maroons in the Finals.^[20]

The following season, Go took a backseat as Ateneo brought in younger rookie big men.^[21] Ateneo won its third straight championship that year.^[21] At the end of the season, he applied for the PBA Draft.^[22]

PBA career

In the 2019 PBA Draft, Go was selected as the No. 1 overall draft pick by the Columbian Dyip.^[23] He was signed ahead of the Governors' Cup restart.^[24] He was held scoreless in his PBA debut.^[25] Terrafirma failed to qualify for the playoffs that conference.^[26]

The following season, during a game against the NorthPort Batang Pier in the Philippine Cup, Go injured his right knee and had to be taken out of the game.^[27] He was later diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament, and meniscus tear. He will be out for the rest of the season.

PBA career statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

As of the end of the 2022–23 season^[28]

Season-by-season averages

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2021	Terrafirma	6	12.5	.462	.200	.333	2.8	.2	.0	.2	4.7
2022–23	Terrafirma	2	7.2	.400	.333	.000	2.5	.0	.5	.0	4.5
Career		8	11.2	.444	.222	.250	2.8	.1	.1	.1	4.6

National team career

Go first played for the Philippine national team in the 2011 FIBA Asia U-16 Tournament.^[29] In 2018, He was named to the "23 for 23" a pool of Gilas Cadets for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.^[30] He also played in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, even serving as team captain during the third window.^[1][31] He was also on the roster for the 2020 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.^[32]

In non-FIBA tournaments, he has represented the Philippines in the Dubai International Basketball Championship (DIBC) with Mighty Sports, winning it in 2020.^[33] As a member of Ateneo, he participated in the 2018 Jones Cup. His best game in that tournament came against Indonesia, with 21 points of 6-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc.^[34] Ateneo finished 4th in that tournament.^[35]

In 2022, he was on the roster for the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Vietnam.^[36] He had 13 points and 12 rebounds in a win against Cambodia.^[37] Gilas went on to lose to Indonesia in the finals, settling for a silver medal.^[38]

Off the court

Go is also a writer for the Philippine edition of NBA.com.^[39] He also appears on Philippine sports talk shows such as NBA Hype,^[2] and The Game.^[40] In 2022, he became an analyst for UAAP Season 84.^[41]

Notes

1. The 2019 draft was composed of two drafts: the Gilas special draft, which consists of 5 players reserved for the Philippine national team, and the regular draft. Go was selected as the first pick in the Gilas special draft. Roosevelt Adams was selected as the first pick of the regular draft.

References

1. "George Isaac Go". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
2. "Isaac Go: Doubted turned decorated". The GUIDON. December 30, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
3. Raya, Robi. . Archived from the original on July 27, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
4. Verora, Levi (March 6, 2014). "NBTC unveils lineups for All Star High School Game on March 9". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
5. Ganglani, Naveen (August 30, 2015). "A 'more complete' player, Von Pessumal doesn't want shooter label". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
6. Terrado, Reuben (June 23, 2014). "Fragile Ateneo frontline dealt blow as rookie Isaac Go out for season with shoulder injury". Spin.ph. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
7. Ganglani, Naveen (December 3, 2016). "From fat kid to overtime hero: Isaac Go's rise mirrors Ateneo's resolve". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
8. Ganglani, Naveen (November 12, 2016). "Host school UST ends season with another loss to Ateneo". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
9. "Ateneo big man Isaac Go given UAAP Player of the Week citation by scribes". Spin.ph. November 14, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
10. Ganglani, Naveen (November 30, 2016). "Ateneo avoids collapse against FEU to set up finals vs La Salle". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
11. Go, Beatrice (September 9, 2017). "Blue Eagles survive UST's threat to remain undefeated". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
12. Go, Beatrice (November 12, 2017). "De La Salle derails Ateneo from sweeping elimination round". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
13. Go, Beatrice (November 22, 2017). "Ateneo secures finals berth despite FEU's OT threat". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
14. Isaga, JR (November 22, 2017). "Isaac Go channels inner Desiderio in Ateneo's OT thriller against FEU". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
15. "Ateneo Blue Eagles secure game 1 of UAAP S80 finals". RAPPLER. November 25, 2017. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
16. Go, Beatrice (November 29, 2017). "DLSU Green Archers take game 2, set do-or-die vs Ateneo Blue Eagles". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
17. Go, Beatrice (December 3, 2017). "Ateneo Blue Eagles are UAAP Season 80 champions". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
18. Go, Beatrice (October 20, 2018). "Isaac Go: Kouame pushes Ateneo to be better". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
19. Isaga, JR (November 4, 2018). "Ateneo gets back at Adamson in defensive shutout". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
20. Isaga, JR (December 6, 2018). "In team-first system, Thirdy still on top". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
21. AGCAOILI, LANCE (November 22, 2019). "Biggest loser is big winner: Isaac Go has done everything Ateneo needed him to do". Spin.ph. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
22. Leongson, Randolph B. (November 28, 2019). "Seen as a Top 3 pick, Isaac Go declares for PBA Rookie Draft". Spin.ph. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
23. Dioquino, Delfin (December 8, 2019). "Columbian nabs Isaac Go as No. 1 pick in PBA Draft 2019". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
24. Isaga, JR (February 10, 2022). "Terrafirma signs Isaac Go ahead of Governors' Cup restart". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
25. Saldajeno, Ivan (February 11, 2022). "Terrafirma spoils Blackwater's skid snapping with huge comeback". www.dugout.ph. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
26. Terrado, Reuben. "TNT secures PBA playoff berth after breezy win over Terrafirma". Spin.ph. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
27. Li, Matthew (June 14, 2022). "Isaac Go diagnosed with ACL tear". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
28. "George Isaac Go Player Profile, Terrafirma DYIP, International Stats, Events Stats, Game Logs, Awards - RealGM". basketball.realgm.com. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
29. Payo, Jasmine W. (October 5, 2011). "Energen PH youth squad unveils Fiba Asia roster". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
30. Dioquino, Delfin (January 5, 2018). "Kobe Paras, Thirdy Ravena banner '23 for 23' Gilas pool roster". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
31. Dioquino, Delfin (June 14, 2021). "Isaac Go named Gilas Pilipinas' captain for FIBA qualifiers". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
32. Dioquino, Delfin (June 24, 2021). "Kai Sotto, Angelo Kouame headline Gilas Pilipinas' FIBA OQT roster". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
33. Isaga, JR (February 2, 2020). "Undefeated Mighty blows out Al Riyadi, wins 31st Dubai championship". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
34. Isaga, JR (July 19, 2018). "Isaac Go explodes for 6 triples in Ateneo win vs Indonesia". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
35. Isaga, JR (July 22, 2018). "Iran kicks Ateneo-PH out of Jones Cup podium". RAPPLER. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
36. "Kiefer, Thirdy Ravena lead 12-man Gilas Pilipinas cast to Vietnam SEA Games". GMA News Online. May 5, 2022. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
37. Masoy, Niel Victor C. (May 17, 2022). "Gilas Pilipinas deals Cambodia a 68-point drubbing to go 2-0". The Manila Times. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
38. Terrado, Reuben (May 22, 2022). "Indonesia ends long Philippine reign as king of SEA Games basketball". Spin.ph. Retrieved June 14, 2022.
39. . NBA.com Philippines. Archived from the original on July 5, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
40. The Game | Is Ja Morant the 2022 NBA MVP?, retrieved March 15, 2022
41. Li, Matthew (March 23, 2022). "UAAP products to serve as analysts for Cignal broadcast". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved May 18, 2022.