MANILA, Philippines – The UAAP Season 87 junior high school hoops unveiled numerous stars of tomorrow — all promising talents aiming to follow in the footsteps of their famous fathers and carve their own basketball paths.
These young standouts hope to display this early their basketball bloodline while vying for a strong career head start.
Here are some second-generation players displaying their wares on court:
CP Miranda has flourished in a starring role for the Baby Tamaraws this season.
The son of former FEU great Denok Miranda goes by his nickname CP, but he was also named after another legendary NBA guard — Chris Paul.
CP averages 13.0 points, 4.29 rebounds, and 3.43 assists per game for the Baby Tamaraws.
Just like Denok, the 14-year-old standout is the team’s starting point guard, becoming one of FEU’s most reliable players this season.
Sky Jazul has been one of the highly touted high school players in the UAAP this season, norming 14.86 points and 3.57 rebounds per game for the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the first seven games.
The 13-year-old son of Phoenix Fuel Masters shooter RJ Jazul honed his talents early through various leagues, including the Batang PBA.
After a limited role last season, Jazul has carried Ateneo to important wins this year, particularly against rival De La Salle-Zobel Junior Archers, where he scored a fastbreak triple, similar to how dad RJ usually does it in the professional ranks.
Montae Lassiter, son of PBA’s all-time three-point leader Marcio Lassiter, has been one of the Baby Tamaraws’ most recognizable players.
Just like his father, his shooting mechanic stands out. However, it has yet to translate in the UAAP courts this season, where he shot 0-of-10 from beyond the arc in his first seven games with the Baby Tamaraws.
While Montae remains a work in progress, he’s a consistent rotational piece for the Baby Tamaraws.
From being a fixture in PBA championship celebrations to showcasing his caliber under the bright lights of the Araneta Coliseum, Mic Pingris aims to continue the “Sakuragi” legacy on the court.
Mic Pingris, son of PBA legend Marc Pingris, recently notched a career-high 14 points against DLSZ at theBig Dome to lead the FEU Baby Tamaraws.
Standing at 6-foot-1 — and still growing — Mic averages 3.43 points and 1.29 rebounds in a little over 9 minutes per game.
Dwayne Khobuntin looks to replicate the success of his father Glenn, who has won a collegiate championship with National University.
Standing at 6-foot-2 at only 14 years old, Khobuntin has been one of the budding stars for the NU Bullpups, averaging 5.86 points, 7.86 rebounds, and 1.43 blocks per game this season.
FEU boasts the most number of second-generation players, with Dos Adriano, Jaidel Daa, and Krystof Isip also in the Baby Tams’ roster.
Adriano, whose father is former PBA player Kiko Adriano, has played four games so far for FEU, averaging 1.0 point per game.
Jaidel Daa, son of Dennis Daa, has seen the court thrice so far, but has not scored a basket yet this season.
Son of FEU legend Mark Isip, Krystof Isip has also been riding the bench for FEU, but looks to see some minutes when the second round unfolds.
– Rappler.com
