Camille Naredo

Perpetual's Lebron Jhames Daep and DLSZ's Kieffer Alas. Handout/NBTC

Perpetual's Lebron Jhames Daep and DLSZ's Kieffer Alas.

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NBTC

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1743162589002DaepAlas.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Perpetual&#x27;s Lebron Jhames Daep and DLSZ&#x27;s Kieffer Alas. Handout/NBTC"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Perpetual&#x27;s Lebron Jhames Daep and DLSZ&#x27;s Kieffer Alas. <em>Handout/NBTC</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Las Pinas City has transformed into the center of high school basketball, as the top two players in the 2025 Foot Locker NBTC 24 hail from schools from the south.</p><p>UAAP Season 87 MVP Kieffer Alas of De La Salle Zobel emerged as No. 1 in the annual ranking of the top under-19 players in the Philippines, while not that far behind is Perpetual&#x27;s Lebron Jhames Daep.</p><p>Alas, who grew up and still resides in Las Pinas, averaged an all-around 20.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.1 steals for the Jr. Archers in the recently-concluded UAAP season to take over the top spot occupied by now-Ateneo lead guard Jared Bahay in back-to-back editions. </p><p>Daep, meanwhile, jumped from No. 11 a year ago to second thanks to his norms of 15.9 markers, 8.5 boards, 1.8 steals, and 1.3 assists in the ongoing NCAA season for the front-running Jr. Altas.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/3/24/whats-next-for-kieffer-alas-after-mvp-season-with-junior-archers-2021">READ: What&#x27;s next for Kieffer Alas after MVP season with Junior Archers?</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/3/24/no-2-ranked-lebron-jhames-daep-seizes-chance-to-learn-inspire-others-in-nbtc-2055">READ: No.2 ranked Lebron Jhames Daep seizes chance to learn, inspire others in NBTC</a></div><p>With that, Alas will lead Team Hustle for the second year in a row, as they will be challenged by Daep-fronted Team Heart in the 2025 Foot Locker NBTC All-Star Game on April 5 at the Mall of Asia Arena.</p><p>Alas will be backstopped by DLSZ teammate Bonn Daja; fellow UAAP standouts Cabs Cabonilas (FEU-Diliman), Jay-M Leal (Ateneo), Earl Medina (Adamson), Joaqui Ludovice (University of Santo Tomas), and Migs Palanca (NU-Nazareth School); NCAA talents Jhuniel Dela Rama (Letran) and Guillian Quines (La Salle Green Hills); Regional Championship (RC) MVPs Kenneth Avila (North Luzon) and John Lloyd Martinez (Visayas), and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu&#x27;s Froilan Maglasang.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m so thankful to NBTC because I&#x27;ve been here for three years now. This time, I want to make the most of this opportunity para naman maka-inspire ng mga young kids,&quot; said Alas, who was the youngest All-Star in NBTC history back when he was a 16 year old in 2023.</p><p>On the other hand, flanking Daep will be another Perpetual star in Jan Roluna and NCAA rivals-turned-teammates MJ Vailoces of San Beda, Sean Salvador of Mapua, Daniel Padilla of Letran, and Ian Cuajao of EAC. Rounding out their team are UST&#x27;s Koji Buenaflor, SHS-Ateneo&#x27;s Jelomar Rota, Adamson&#x27;s Mark Esperanza, NUNS&#x27; Mac Alfanta, and RC MVPs Jancarl Gadlan from South Luzon and Karlocaezar Estomo from Mindanao.</p><p>&quot;Sobrang excited ko po kasi dito sa NBTC, nabibigyan ang mga bata ng chance para ipakita ang laro nila sa mas maraming tao,&quot; said Daep, whose favorite NBA player is not his namesake, but rather, Giannis Antetokounmpo.</p><p>Rising stars from international and regional teams during the 2025 NBTC National Finals will also be added to the lineups of Team Hustle and Team Heart. </p><p>Together with the annual exhibition of the best of the best young talents, there will yet again be an All-Star Game from the Manila Live girls tournament, as well as the Manila Showcase, pitting the top players from Manila Live against other standouts of the National Finals.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/3/25/fil-canadian-prospect-named-best-fil-foreign-player-in-hoops-showcase-1901">READ: Fil-Canadian prospect named best Fil-foreign player in hoops showcase</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>Here&#x27;s the final 2025 Foot Locker NBTC 24:</strong></div><p>1) Kieffer Alas, UAAP/DLSZ</p><p>2) Lebron Jhames Daep, NCAA/Perpetual</p><p>3) Cabs Cabonilas, UAAP/FEU-Diliman</p><p>4) Mark Esperanza, UAAP/Adamson</p><p>5) Koji Buenaflor, UAAP/UST</p><p>6) Guillian Quines, NCAA/LSGH</p><p>7) Jay-M Leal, UAAP/Ateneo</p><p>8) MJ Vailoces, NCAA/San Beda</p><p>9) Mac Alfanta, UAAP/NUNS</p><p>10) Bonn Daja, UAAP/DLSZ</p><p>11) Jelomar Rota, CESAFI/SHS-Ateneo</p><p>12) Jan Roluna, NCAA/Perpetual</p><p>13) Marc Burgos, UAAP/FEU-Diliman</p><p>14) Jhuniel Dela Rama, NCAA/Letran</p><p>15) Sean Salvador, NCAA/Mapua</p><p>16) Earl Medina, UAAP/Adamson</p><p>17) Daniel Padilla, NCAA/Letran</p><p>18) Ian Cuajao, NCAA/EAC</p><p>19) Joaqui Ludovice, UAAP/UST</p><p>20) Froilan Maglasang, CESAFI/SHS-Ateneo</p><p>21) Karlocaezar Estomo, Mindanao RC/Toyomoto Auto Supply</p><p>22) Kenneth Avila, North Luzon RC/EZ Jersey-Doc Boleros</p><p>23) Jancarl Gadlan, South Luzon RC/Chrisveil Sports</p><p>24) John Lloyd Martinez, Visayas RC/LCC-Bacolod El Tzino Davies</p><p>* Migs Palanca, UAAP/NUNS (alternate)</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Rpq_TTGwrE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jRLAUeWuEYI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>UAAP Season 87 MVP Kieffer Alas of De La Salle Zobel emerged as No. 1 in the annual ranking of the top under-19 players in the Philippines, while not that far behind is Perpetual's Lebron Jhames Daep.</p>

UAAP Season 87 MVP Kieffer Alas of De La Salle Zobel emerged as No. 1 in the annual ranking of the top under-19 players in the Philippines, while not that far behind is Perpetual's Lebron Jhames Daep.

Kieffer Alas, Lebron Jhames Daep are top high school players in PH

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Kieffer Alas, Lebron Jhames Daep are top high school players in PH

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 28, 2025 07:55 PM PHT

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