Everyone who looks forward to the future years of the UAAP is focused on whether the Ateneo Blue Eaglets' Kiefer Ravena will go, and this is not the first time that everyone has heard of him. Ever since last year, UAAP fans predict that when he goes to college hoops, he's going to be one of the best in a few months or so.
But Kiefer Ravena's buzz will last until the end of this year, and when he ends and enters college, there will be another one that will take over sports magazines that tackle high school ball.
However, this young gunner does not belong to any of the big universities, or any school who belongs to the UAAP or the NCAA. He does not capture everyone's attention simply because the leagues where he plays for does not enjoy media exposure… and yet he plays for a school who can match the energy of the UAAP and NCAA schools.
Xavier School might not be on the big leagues, being a stand-alone primary and secondary school run by the Jesuits (who, on the other hand, run Ateneo), and as a Filipino-Chinese Catholic School, they are part of the Metro Manila Tiong Lian Basketball League (MMTLB), alongside Chiang Kai Shek College, St. Jude Catholic School, and Hope Christian High School among many others. And for this year, this school, who boasts of UAAP greats who came out successful in the big leagues like Chris Tiu, Tyrone Tang, and Joseph Yeo, is gunning for its fourth straight championship, and the one who forefronts their basketball team as a junior player is the not-so-center of attraction, Stallions forward Jeron Teng.
The son of basketball legend Alvin and the shoti (as the Chinese call their younger brothers) of UST Growling Tigers swingman Jeric, Jeron Teng has been a dominant player not only in MMTLB and other minor leagues that Xavier School has joined, but also in the Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore, where he played in the 3-on-3 challenge alongside Ray Parks (who has just agreed to play for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets), Michael Pate (from DLS-Green hills), and Cris Tolomia (who is an FEU Tamaraw who will be eligible next year to play in the UAAP).
And with all the things he learned playing against foreigners, he was able to bring in the Tiong Lian. Just in his first game, he logged a game-high 34 points against Chiang Kai Shek College, which goes with 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals. And recently, he broke the scoring record for a Filipino high school player in a major league by scoring 104 points ina 164-76 win against Grace Christian High School. This just shows that he can be one dominant player in the MMTLB, and most probably, he's going to rack in various player awards in the league, especially the Most Valuable Player of the junior division.
With that kind of performance, expect various scouts from different UAAP and NCAA schools to pounce on him as early as now and have him commit to go to a school where he can play a big role as an all-around player.
But where could he possibly go? Here are four UAAP schools which might need his skill and his services to the team:
1.Perhaps the most obvious choice of where Jeron Teng will go after Xavier is in the UST Growling Tigers. With his brother taking on the role of scoring from beyond the arc, Jeron might complement him by providing UST what it lacks: inside scoring. There's still no news about the fresh faces of the Tigers come Season 74, but if we include Teng in the current roster, then the Tigers could prove to be a dominant force that can find its way into the Final Four.
With someone who can constantly pound the ball inside, Coach Pido Jarencio won't hesitate having his swingers move around and place themselves beyond the arc. Jeron's inside presence could distract the defense and force the opponents to focus on the paint, and it is at this point where Tata Bautista, Jeric Teng, and Jeric Fortuna to play their game and hit those big threes. More than that, Jeron might be able to get precious minutes and eventually rise up the ranks in the UAAP, and perhaps we can already start the buzz about him being Season 75's Rookie of the Year.
2.With the RP Youth Squad coach Eric Altamirano taking the reins, the NU Bulldogs could be a possible choice for Teng. If he does, then this might be very good news for the team who is undergoing a constant process of rebuilding through the years. Why? First, Coach E knows how Jeron Teng plays, so it will be fairly easy to let him in the rotation, and second, he could take on the role that should have been played by Ray Parks, Jr., who, after attending National U for a year, left and committed to playing with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the US NCAA.
And a combination of strength and versatility from a team player might be the perfect piece that NU has been missing. Season 74 might become a promising year for the Bulldogs, as many of those who played big last year, notably Emmanuel Mbe, are going to return and step up. However, the problem with next year's lineup is that it is quite soft, with no one who can solidly box out and make post moves. Luckily, this is what Jeron Teng has so far, so if he gets in the team, then muscle might not be a problem anymore for the Bulldogs.
3.There has been no news yet about scouting and inviting Teng to play, but it is possible that the Ateneo Blue Eagles, already having the best players in high school, is also persuading him to don the blue and white and promise him a championship trophy with the rest of the powerhouse Ateneo Squad.
Playing for coach Norman Black would mean not getting a lot of minutes and action as a rookie, but for sure, he's going to be one of the best among the Ateneo reserves. The Blue Eagles of Season 75 will not have swingmen Kirk Long and Emman Monfort, plus Nico Salva and Ryan Buenafe in their last year; however, this could be the time when the youngsters of this year, namely Greg Slaughter, Kiefer Ravena, Von Pessumal, Gwynne Capacio, and Mark Tallo, Jr., will take over. Having those as his teammates (with two of them who already are his buddies in the court, having played alongside Ravena and Pessumal in the RP Youth Squad), Jeron Teng might just get the right boost of confidence, seeing that he will play with familiar faces. And if one were to look closely, he could become the second Ryan Buenafe for the Blue Eagles, only smaller.
4.And of course, the De La Salle Green Archers wouldn't allow themselves to be left behind. With star forward Joshua Webb in his last year as a Green Archer in Season 74, they're going to need extra firepower to support Almond Vosotros, Sam Marata, and Maui Villanueva, who are expected to lead the team for the next three years. With Teng who can possibly be on their side, it is possible that the Green Archers can make another trip to the UAAP Finals, something that they were not able to do so since the year 2008.
With all plans for every school set and reserved for this young basketball star, it seems that his future is already set. But then, all of these would be brought into fruition only if he makes his choice, and we have another year to wait for that.
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But then, would these schools would really that be desperate for Teng? Watch out for the next part of this feature for the answer...
Photo from the Olympic Games Flickr Site.
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