By: Jerod Orcullo
After steering University of Perpetual Help System DALTA to its historic first NCAA juniors basketball championship, Lebron Jhames Daep shared that he plans to take a break and spend quality time with his family and friends before making a final decision on where to play in college.
The 6-foot-7 versatile big man was ranked as the second-best high school prospect by the National Basketball Training Center this year — just behind De La Salle Zobel’s guard Kieffer Alas.
Thanks to that, he has drawn serious interest from several top UAAP programs, according to multiple sources closely monitoring the situation.
Daep made a major impact on both ends of the floor for a loaded Perpetual squad that cruised through the elimination round of Season 100 with an 8-1 record.
He earned the league MVP honors and secured spots on both the Mythical Five and Defensive Team after averaging 15.4 points, 8.33 rebounds, 1.33 assists, 1.78 steals, and one block per game during the season.
Daep took his game to another level in the Finals, where he posted averages of 13 points, 11.67 rebounds, 2.67 steals, two assists, and 1.67 blocks per outing — proving crucial in Perpetual’s title-clinching run.
Despite the wave of attention and momentum, Daep admitted he wants to step back and recharge first, especially after achieving what they had set out to do.
“Actually hindi ko po naiisip pero gusto ko lang talaga magpahinga ngayon, lalo nakuha namin yung goal namin which is mag-champion as a team. Kaya yun, gusto ko lang muna magpahinga tsaka pagbalik ko dito, tsaka ko gagawa ng parang plano ko kung anong gagawin ko,” he said.
When asked about what he’s looking for in a college team, Daep emphasized the importance of chemistry, trust, and shared goals — elements that made his Perpetual experience special.
“Ang tinitignan ko sa isang team yung nakikinig kay coach and nananalo as a team and yung brotherhood yun talaga yung pinakamahalaga, yung relationship. Kasi kahit ano mangyari, once na maging teammates mo yan parang naging pamilya mo narin yan,” Daep expressed.
As his highly anticipated decision draws near, the 18-year-old shared that he has been leaning on the wisdom of his father, Rommel Daep — a four-time NCAA champion with San Sebastian — for advice and perspective.
“Ang shinare niya lang sakin is kahit anong mangyari it’s just a basketball game, mapa-championship man, semi-finals, or regular game pare-parehas lang yan basketball and kahit anong mangyari gawin mo lang yung mga pinapakita mo nung regular game lang,” Daep recounted.
“Yun pinakikinggan ko lang siya and bibigay ko lang yung best ko and kung ano maging result yun na yun.”
