Young Eaglets learning to fly

It’s a young core that will grow up together as student-athletes and who will learn the game together.

Competing for their first championship (although the young Ateneo team would lose to La Salle Greenhills that bagged their fourth straight 12-Under title), the team’s starters – Javi and Paolo Adevoso, Jordan Salandana, LeBron Nieto, and Joax Fidel – reflected on the opportunity.

“It’s exciting,” put Nieto. “We’ll just have to do our best.”

“Yeah, we’re playing the defending champions and they are tough,” added 11-year old Javi who plays small forward.

“Yes, we have to play our best as a team if we want a chance to win this. Those guys are tall,” chimed in Salandanan, the team’s point guard.

“For me, it’s cool to wear the Ateneo jersey,” added Paolo Adevoso. “You watch the Blue Eaglets and Blue Eagles and they are my inspiration.”

“Me too,” added Fidel who plays the power forward slot.

“For all of us,” summed up Salandanan.

For the lefty Nieto, he’s aware that his older brothers Matt and Mike won a UAAP Juniors Championship while his father, Jet, won a Juniors and two Seniors UAAP crowns. “I want to be like them – champions too,” he softly says that belies the big game he plays.

Added Jordan: “For me, it is very cool that my brother, Marc, won a championship with the Eaglets. because I was able to train with the Juniors team and the experience helped me. I hope to get to train with them again.”

“We love the game and playing is…” Fidel pauses… searching for the word.

“Cool,” enthused Paolo.

“Yeah, it is cool.”

The kids laugh.

“Hopefully, we can stay as teammates all the way,” wondered Fidel.

Young Eaglets. Growing up as student-athletes. Learning the game together.