Adamson University’s future is in good hands.
Earl Medina, twin towers Allen Perez and Jireh Tumaneng — along with Zahir Sajili, CJ Umali, and JR Abayon — have officially committed to the Soaring Falcons and have begun training with the team as they take the next step in their basketball journey.
All six players played key roles in the Baby Falcons’ fourth-place finish in the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ Basketball Tournament and are expected to be vital pieces of Adamson’s program for years to come.
Among them, Medina and Perez drew the most interest from other schools, but their loyalty to Adamson remained steadfast.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Siyempre sila nagpalaki sa’kin at nagbigay ng confidence. Ibabalik ko lang yung tiwala na binigay nila sa’kin,” said Medina, who grew up in Brunei before returning home.
“Binigyan ako ng trust from day one ko sa Adamson. Kung makikita niyo ‘yung first year ko, wala talaga… Pero they pushed me na mag-work hard,” added Perez, who was raised in Italy.
Medina, a 6-foot-4 3-and-D specialist, averaged 11.0 points, 6.71 rebounds, 3.07 assists, 2.14 steals, and 1.57 blocks per game last season. Meanwhile, the 6-foot-7 Perez put up 8.79 points and 4.07 rebounds per contest.
Umali, a 5-foot-11 guard, had a breakout Grade 12 campaign, averaging 7.71 points, 2.79 rebounds, 2.36 assists, and 1.29 steals per game.
Sajili, a versatile 6-foot-4 small forward, contributed 6.0 points, 4.93 rebounds, and 3.43 assists per contest.
Abayon, a 6-foot-3 forward, provided steady minutes, chipping in 3.42 points and 3.08 rebounds per game.
After losing all four of their graduating seniors last year, Adamson’s coaching staff — led by Mike Fermin and head coach Nash Racela — is thrilled to have secured this talented batch for the next phase of their careers.
“This has always been the vision — to build a strong pipeline from high school to college. We want our players to see that their development doesn’t stop after Baby Falcons. Adamson is their home, and they have a clear path to continue growing here,” said Fermin.
Meanwhile, Gabe De Jesus has yet to make a decision on his collegiate future.
