As athletes retire from their respective teams, a crop of fresh talent replaces them. Meet four rookies who have worked tirelessly to earn a spot on the coveted Ateneo team roster.
J.P. ERRAM & JASON ESCUETA | BLUE EAGLES
FROM RECRUITMENT to officially making the roster, basketball rookies are scrutinized like no other. Are they big enough to play in the UAAP? Is he smart enough to run the offense? Will he be a defensive liability? Throw in the burden of back-to-back titles and a huge pair of shoes to fill, the dynamic big-man pair of Jason Escueta and JP Erram face immense pressure.
Jason Escueta, known to many as Jumbo, has a personality that betrays his intimidating figure. Standing at six foot four and weighing-in north of 230 pounds, this giant can be best described as jovial and happy-go-lucky. On the court, not so much. He uses his size to bang down low in the classic back to the basket mold, his presence making opposing penetrators think twice about venturing into the paint—unless they want to risk getting knocked on the floor.
His journey to the Blue Eagle roster has been less than direct. As part of an American travel team, Escueta was initially denied an offer to join the team. But the second time around, the Ateneo coaching staff would not let him get away. Having finished serving his residency playing for the Ateneo B team, Escueta describes the experience as a pleasant challenge. “[It made] my first two years in Ateneo so much better,” he says.
With his bean pole frame and impressive wing span, the similarities between JP Erram and Nonoy Baclao are inevitable. Both players stalk the paint, looking to erase any shots put up by slashers, and to clean-up after teammates beaten off the dribble. Like the former Blue Eagle, Erram is unfailingly humble and brings a blue collar approach to the game, taking each day as a challenge to improve.
Standing at an impressive six foot seven, Erram will look to make an impact defensively. However, at this stage of his development, he has a natural feel for the offensive end, with a respectable mid range jumper to help space the court.
Though both Escueta and Erram may have the physical tools to fill the void left by twin towers of Baclao and Al-Husseini, more impressive still is their willingness to buy into the team concept. When asked about the pressures of replacing such a successful duo, Escueta says, “Rabeh and Nonoy will probably go down as two of the best basketball players in the Ateneo, so of course there is pressure.”
“But that pressure doesn’t fall on me alone. We have a very capable team and I believe that when the time comes we will fill out the void that is left by Rabs and Noy perfectly,” he adds.
MATT JAO | BLUE JUDOKA
GRADUATING FROM Ateneo High School, Matthew Jao, simply known as Matt, enters college not only with an eagerness to learn, but also a heavyweight frame, swift agile footwork and a will to win.
His interest in the sport, however, didn’t spawn naturally.
“During my first year of high school I had to pick one organization that I’d have to go to once a week. So I asked my older brother, and he told me to join judo as a joke,” Matt says.
But the only laughter seems to come from how quickly Matt disposes his opponents. During this summer’s Hajime tournament, Matt easily snagged top honors with a gold medal for his weight division.
“I like to think that I do everything I can to be the best possible version of me,” says Matt.
A humble person at heart, Matt realizes that there is always room to improve. He shares the same belief as one of his idols, UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St-Pierre that “Training will always beat talent.”
Matt has always felt a special bond with the team, despite his rookie status, he says, “The Judo team is like a family.”
As a freshman, Matt already possesses a professional character. Combine this with his relentless desire to improve, and his raw potential, Matt looks primed for an impressive career in Judo for Ateneo.
DENNISE LAZARO | LADY SPIKER
THE SHUFFLING libero: a biology major freshly graduated from Colegio de San Agustin, Dennise Lazaro will fill in for long-time libero Stephanie Gabriel.
Den, as her teammates call her, says, “My mom got me into the sport; she used to play back in the day”.
Den joins four other rookies in a team looking to reload its roster following the departure of key players to graduation. Despite this, however, Den says “[The team still] has an intact line-up from last season, and with their experience and heart, Ateneo will be number one.”
While the rookie admits to being overwhelmed and anxious at the same time, she has no time to feel the jitters because volleyball training, consisting of plyometrics and drills, kicked off early in the summer.
When asked about her idols, the libero says that she looks up to Ateneo volleyball alum Charo Soriano, whom she got to spend some time with during this year’s Shakey’s V-League. Tennis superstar Serena Williams is another of her sports favourites.
Her sports credo – passion is key – may just be the winning attitude the team needs to garner another podium finish. And as Coach Roger Gorayeb looks to improve from last season, Den adds to the team’s continuous growth and strengthening foundation.
