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MANILA, Philippines – The Ateneo Blue Eagles may have just tapped a possible game-changer in their quest to stay on top of UAAP men’s basketball following the successful recruitment of Filipino-American standout Shean Jackson, team manager Epok Quimpo confirmed to Rappler on Wednesday, March 22.
Jackson, who turns 23 this year, is eligible to play in Season 86 this year, and can play up to three seasons.
Raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, the 6-foot-1 guard arrived in Manila this week and will have his first training session with the Blue Eagles on Thursday.
Quimpo, the Blue Eagles’ longtime team manager, said Jackson reminds him of a smaller Jamie Malonzo because he’s “super athletic,” but also admitted the new recruit, who has raw talent and explosiveness, will have to develop his basketball fundamentals and get used to the Philippine style of play.
How quickly that development goes under the tutelage of Tab Baldwin, a head coach known for excelling his players’ abilities, could determine if Jackson will be ready in time for Ateneo’s title defense in 2023.
Jackson is a two-way player who can defend opposing players’ shots at the rim and score in the paint because of his athletic prowess. While still a work in progress, he has also shown flashes of having a reliable jumper while creating his own shot attempts.
Jackson, who graduated high school in 2018, played basketball for Cheyenne High School in Las Vegas but wound up not enrolling in a college or university due to the pandemic.
Other recruits
Ateneo is also awaiting the result of Jordi Gomez de Liaño’s entrance admission exam before he becomes an official member of the Blue Eagles.
Jordi, the younger brother of former UP Fighting Maroon stars Javi and Juan, has already been training and participating in tune-up games with the Blue Eagles. He’s expected to join the program’s upcoming team building in Aurora.
Quimpo said Gomez de Liaño may have to take a one-year residency before debuting in Season 87, but that gap year will allow him to make strides on the defensive end where he has to improve to make Baldwin’s final roster.
De Liaño previously suited up for UST in Season 84.
Ateneo is also interested in recruiting Filipino-American prospects Jayden Harper and Zain Mahmood, who both have a year of high school remaining before becoming UAAP-eligible. – Rappler.com
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