For the third straight season, Kieffer Alas proved why he’s the heart and soul of De La Salle Zobel.
The 17-year-old Gilas Youth standout delivered yet another dominant campaign in the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ Basketball Tournament, stuffing the stat sheet with 20.07 points, 11.14 rebounds, 4.93 assists, and 1.07 steals per game.
But while his individual brilliance shone, the Junior Archers once again fell short, finishing with a 6-8 record and missing the Final Four for the eighth consecutive year.
Now, Alas stands at a crossroads — will he return for one last shot at redemption with Zobel, or take his talents overseas?
The son of Ateneo assistant coach Louie Alas and younger brother of NLEX point guard Kevin Alas is carefully weighing his options.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
While he remains undecided, sources told Tiebreaker Times that shortly after Season 87, he will head to Australia for intensive training before testing his skills with an AAU team in the United States.
Despite the growing speculation, Alas has kept his cards close to his chest, leaving open the possibility of staying with the Junior Archers for one final run.
“To be announced pa. I’m not gonna announce anything yet pero right now, we’re just gonna focus on improving myself since despite a great season, I acknowledge that there’s wide room for improvement,” the 6-foot-2 guard told Tiebreaker Times after DLSZ’s 71-61 win over Far Eastern University-Diliman to close out its Season 87 campaign.
Regardless of where his next chapter takes him, Alas expressed gratitude to long-time head coach Boris Aldeguer for shaping him into the player he is today — and the one he hopes to become in the years ahead.
In his three-year stint with Aldeguer and the Junior Archers, Alas earned a spot in the Season 86 Mythical Five, ranked as the second-best under-19 player in the Philippines, and represented Gilas Pilipinas Youth under former head coach Josh Reyes.
“I’m just thankful that there’s improvement from my rookie year to my second year and now to my third year with Zobel. I would not be here without the trust of Zobel and coach Boris because he’s the one that gave me the opportunity. We learned a lot din, one game away kami from a Final Four spot, pero we’re just gonna use that as fuel next season,” Alas expressed.
“Actually, my first and second year, I liked the growth that I had, I feel like I was in good pace. Pero going into this third season, nainjure ako, so our first game, hindi pa ako conditioned masyado. I feel like right now is where I’m really 100 percent, so I’m just going to bring that my upcoming games or Zobel’s upcoming games.”
With a future as bright as his, the only question left is whether he’ll continue his journey with Zobel or take the leap onto a bigger stage.
