UAAP high school champion Carl Manding commits to Ateneo Blue Eagles

Carl Manding. | UAAP Media Photo

UAAP high school champion Carl Manding commits to Ateneo Blue Eagles

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebuano basketball standout and UAAP high school champion Carl Manding is officially joining the Ateneo Blue Eagles as he begins his collegiate career in the UAAP.

Manding, a key piece in the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Tiger Cubs’ title run in UAAP Season 87 Boys Basketball, confirmed his commitment to CDN Digital in a recent interview.

The 6-foot-3 guard, who once suited up for the Philippine Christian Gospel School (PCGS) in the Private Schools Developmental League (PSDL) here in Cebu before moving to UST, said he’s thrilled to reunite with fellow Cebuano talents in the Blue Eagles roster.

“Excited ra ko nga makauban sa uban Cebuanos sa team,” Manding said.

(I’m just excited to be with my fellow Cebuanos on the team.)

READ: Cebuana Niña Ytang named UAAP Season 87 ‘Best Middle Blocker’

Manding’s commitment was first reported by UAAP insider Naveen Ganglani, who noted that the former Tiger Cub initially considered staying with UST before choosing Ateneo.

His decision comes just two weeks after another Cebuano, Kristian Porter, announced his departure from the Blue Eagles.

Among those who welcomed the news was Ateneo’s sophomore point guard and former CESAFI MVP Jared Bahay, who shared Manding’s announcement on social media. Bahay is one of several Cebuano players forming the core of Tab Baldwin’s current roster.

Manding also brings national team experience, having represented the Philippines in the Gilas Pilipinas Youth squad in the 2024 Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA) Qualifiers.

He wrapped up his final season with UST on a high note. He dropped 15 points, two rebounds, one assist, and one steal to force a do-or-die semifinal game against the NU-Nazareth School (NUNS) Bullpups last March 20. A few days later, he scored 10 points in Game 3 of the finals, helping seal the championship for UST.

Across the season, Manding averaged 8.5 points, 5.0 rebounds per game, and tallied 145 total points, highlighting his value as a reliable contributor.

At Ateneo, he joins a stacked Cebuano core that includes Bahay, fellow CESAFI MVP Alden Cainglet, Mythical Five members Jelo Mar Rota and Michael Asoro, and big man Lars Fjelvang who are all products of the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles under head coach Rommel Rasmo, who led them to a historic four-peat last December in CESAFI.

Photo caption: Carl Manding. | UAAP Media Photo