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| Ateneo secured two prized recruits as they look to reclaim the UAAP men's basketball title. |
MANILA--Ateneo de Manila University has secured the commitments of two promising young prospects: Femi Edu and Kristian Porter.
Both are set to join the Blue Eagles program and will be eligible starting UAAP Season 87.
Femi, 18, is the younger brother of Gilas Pilipinas Men pool member AJ, stands at 6-foot-4, and plays guard.
Meanwhile, Kristian, also 18, is the younger brother of former Blue Eagle Kris and is a 6-foot-5 forward.
For Edu, the decision to choose Ateneo was influenced by the university's esteemed education.
“I've heard many positive things about the school, both academically and otherwise. I simply want to be a part of that,” said Edu, who is planning to enter the school's Computer Science program.
The visit from Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin to the Edu family home last February played a significant role in his decision.
“That was certainly significant because it helped foster a relationship with Tab. My family really appreciated it,” added Edu, who will arrive in the country in late June after graduating from Copleston High School in Ipswich. “It played a major role in my decision to choose Ateneo.”
Meanwhile, Ateneo was an obvious choice for Porter, who attended Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu before transferring to Ateneo de Manila High School for senior high.
“Throughout my entire school life, I've been an Atenean. From Ateneo de Cebu to Ateneo de Manila, so you could say I bleed blue. Continuing this tradition into my college years brings me immense joy,” said Porter, who is also part of the Gilas Boys’ team that placed sixth in the FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship back in 2022.
Porter is excited to reunite with fellow Magis Eagles Jared Bahay, Michael Asoro, and Raffy Celis, as well as to play alongside former Gilas teammates Mason Amos, Kyle Gamber, Kobe Demisana, and Lebron Nieto at Ateneo.
“It warms my heart to see familiar faces from my past. Being able to play alongside them once again, especially on the collegiate stage, is nothing short of amazing. It makes me reminisce about our shared memories and reflect on our journey to where we are now,” expressed Porter, who will enroll in the school's Interdisciplinary Studies program.
“It fills me with overwhelming happiness, and I can't help but wear a smile from ear to ear. I genuinely hope that each and every one of us achieves our dreams and aspirations in the future.”
Baldwin is excited to have both Edu and Porter in his pool as they bring size to the Blue Eagles that lost Kai Ballungay after Season 86.
“Obviously, we are excited. He's a good young player, an excellent athlete with good size. The challenge he probably needs to overcome as quickly as possible is transitioning from the England style of basketball to ours. As everyone knows, England's a soccer-dominated culture. There's experience and competition he needs to adapt to,” Baldwin remarked about Edu.
“He is an outstanding young man from a good family, and we are excited to have him in our program.”
On the other hand, Baldwin sees Porter as someone who will deliver immediate impact to the Blue Eagles.
Porter is a two-time UAAP High School Boys’ Basketball Mythical Team member. During his senior year, he put up numbers of 18.08 points, 15.46 rebounds, and 2.23 steals per game.
“We're really happy with Kristian being part of the program. He will be an impact player very quickly,” Baldwin said. “We need depth in our frontline, and he provides that. He is going to play significant minutes for us. I love his basketball IQ.
“Our goal with Kristian is to develop his physical attributes as well as his skills. As an undersized big man, we aim to expand his game and transition him toward the perimeter. He has to work really hard to achieve that, but his basketball IQ and skill level will allow him to be an impact player right away.”
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