Just three games into the UAAP Season 87 High School Boys Basketball Tournament, De La Salle Zobel has found its “heart and soul” in Gilas Youth standouts Kieffer Alas and Bonn Daja.
The duo’s clutch performances against the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, combined with their stellar individual starts to the season, embody the fighting spirit of the Junior Archers.
Alas kept DLSZ alive in regulation, scoring eight of their 13 fourth-quarter points, while Daja dominated in overtime with back-to-back and-one plays, sealing a 73-65 victory. This marks the team’s second overtime triumph of the season.
For Alas, the chemistry he and Daja developed through their Gilas Youth journey—from the FIBA U16 Asian Championship SEABA Qualifiers to the 2024 FIBA World Cup—has been instrumental in the Junior Archers’ strong start in the UAAP’s post-pandemic era.
“With our duo, our chemistry goes way back since our Gilas days in 2022. Nasanay lang kami from playing with each other,” the 6-foot-2 guard explained, who finished with a game-high 22 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block in DLSZ’s 73-65 win against Ateneo.
“We don’t get jealous of each other, we just play off each other to our strengths and our weaknesses.”
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Daja, meanwhile, credited his international basketball experience for improving his individual skills and strengthening his partnership with Alas.
Together, they hope to lead DLSZ to its first Final Four appearance since Season 79 in 2016, when the team was spearheaded by Roberto Marinao, Franz Diaz, Martin Romero, and Jan Sobrevega.
“Sobrang laki kasi sa international game. Kakaiba talaga kasi sobrang lalaki ng mga kalaban namin, while dito mas maliliit lang. Malaking tulong din ’yon dahil, as Kieffer said, doon namin nadevelop ’yung chemistry namin as Zobel’s duo this season,” said the 6-foot-4 center from Davao, who contributed 10 points, six rebounds, and two blocks.
Despite the duo’s brilliance, head coach Boris Aldeguer emphasized that basketball remains a team sport. He urged the rest of the Junior Archers to step up, especially with a tough matchup against defending champion Adamson University looming on Thursday, February 2, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
“At the end of the day, Kieffer and Bonn can’t do it by themselves. They need contributions from the other guys. Basketball is a team sport. We’ll take this win, but everyone who steps on the court has to contribute,” said the seasoned coach.
With Alas and Daja leading the way, and a renewed focus on team effort, DLSZ looks poised to make waves this season.
