Kieffer Alas returns to PH, commits to Ateneo after US quest

2026-03-03 - 05:14

MANILA, Philippines – After a short stint in the United States to play high school basketball, former UAAP boys’ Most Valuable Player Kieffer Alas has committed to play for the Ateneo Blue Eagles in UAAP Season 89. The 18-year-old combo guard will have a chance to play for his father, Louie, who serves as an assistant to Blue Eagles head coach Tab Baldwin, and will have five years of eligibility. Alas’ addition is a shot in the arm for the Blue Eagles, who missed the Final Four in the last two seasons. He will join a rebuilding roster that lost Kymani Ladi, Dom Escobar, Josh Lazaro, and Jaden Lazo. Alas is expected to play alongside fellow scorer Jared Bahay in the backcourt. According to sources, Alas also received offers from the La Salle Green Archers, UP Fighting Maroons, and several NCAA Division II schools and junior colleges in the US. “Coach Tab visited me multiple times here in the US, I can tell he was really interested in me,” Alas, whose older brother Kevin plays in the PBA, told Rappler. “They laid out their plan for me and what I could do in the future and saw me as a big part of their program, that was the main thing for me.” Prior to his US foray, Alas played for the La Salle Zobel Junior Archers, winning UAAP boys’ MVP honors in Season 87 with averages of 20.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.1 steals. The guard then participated in a short training camp in Australia, before heading to the US. After initially committing to Layton Christian Academy, Alas transferred in December 2025 to Utah Prep, where he was coached by former Gilas Pilipinas interim coach Mark Dickel, a Baldwin protégé. “I feel like the Utah Prep system here is a bit more...forgiving to my game because how we play here is fast-paced, run and gun, shoot open shots, play hard physical defense,” he said in a previous interview with Rappler. “That’s very similar to the Filipino style of play.” Utah Prep is the alma mater of Brigham Young University superstar and potential NBA top draft pick AJ Dybantsa and Filipino-American guard JJ Mandaquit, who has represented the US in FIBA tournaments. The 6-foot-3 Alas made a sizzling debut for Dickel’s squad, dropping 34 points built on 10 threes against the PHH Prep Diamond Doves last January. In his short stint in the United States, Alas said he developed his finishing around the rim, extended his shooting range, and honed his defensive skills. Before donning the Ateneo jersey, Alas will represent Phenom Blue Fire once again in the upcoming NBTC National Finals, which will start on March 22. – Rappler.com