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MANILA, Philippines – The Ateneo Blue Eagles strengthened their bid for back-to-back titles in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament after securing the commitment of Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu standouts Raffy Celis and Michael Asoro.
The defending champion Blue Eagles made the announcement official in a press conference in Mandaue City on Monday, April 10, along with multi-titled UAAP head coach Tab Baldwin and Sacred Heart School representatives.
“I promise you that they will add something to our program that we currently don’t have. They will give us that Cebuano toughness,” said Baldwin of the duo of Celis and Asoro.
Celis, 19, is a 6-foot-3 versatile swingman who made waves in the 2023 National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) National Finals.
He averaged 17.3 points, 10 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1 steal to earn a Mythical Team selection in the recently concluded tournament.
Also 19 years of age, Asoro, on the other hand, is a 6-foot sharpshooting guard who posted 17.8 points on three triples per outing, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in the same tournament.
Both Celis and Asoro also suited up in the NBTC All-Star Game alongside their Magis Eagles teammate Jared Bahay, who recently committed to the UP Fighting Maroons.
“Both of these guys can score, but the fact that they are both two-way players is what I love. They play defense and they play defense with that sort of perpetual toughness that I really admire about Filipino basketball players,” said Baldwin of Ateneo’s new recruits.
“We are actually lacking that in our program. We need more of it,” added Baldwin as the Blue Eagles look to fill the void left by wingmen Dave Ildefonso and BJ Andrade.
Celis and Asoro, who led the Magis Eagles to back-to-back crowns in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball tournament last year, will be eligible right away to play for the Blue and White in Season 86, together with fellow prized rookies Mason Amos and Kyle Gamber. – Rappler.com
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