MANILA -- After losing several of their key players from last year's campaign, the University of the East have reloaded with four Fil-foreign talents.
Fil-Canadians Devin Fikes, brothers Hunter and Jack Cruz-Dumont, and Fil-Am Ethan Galang have all committed to play for the Red Warriors, coach Jack Santiago announced on Friday.
"We're elated to add these young players to what we're building here in UE. After our promising campaign last season, we have high hopes moving forward and we believe that these four can only boost our chances in competing against our peers in the UAAP," said Santiago.
Fikes, 19, is a 6-foot-5 big man who impressed in the past 2023 Smart-NBTC National Finals, earning his place in the NBTC All-Star Game.
He posted 12.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks in 28 minutes as he towed Toronto to the Division 1 and barely missed out on the semifinals. He can immediately play for UE this coming UAAP Season 86 and has his full five playing years.
The Cruz-Dumont brothers, meanwhile, are the sons of the late player Jack Dumont who suited up for the Pasig Pirates in the defunct MBA and are now based in Vancouver, Canada.
Jack, 22, is a 6-foot-2 slasher who averaged 5.6 points on 31-percent shooting from deep, to go with 4.3 assists and 3.5 boards in 26.1 minutes for University of British Columbia this past season.
Hunter, 20, is a 6-foot-5 forward who netted 2.9 points on 38-percent three-point shooting in 7.7 minutes of play for Simon Fraser University.
Jack has two playing years and can play this UAAP Season 86, while Hunter has four and will have to redshirt before being eligible to play in UAAP Season 87.
Lastly, the 22-year-old Galang is a 6-foot-2 shooter from Chino Hills, California who got 7.0 points, 2.5 boards, 2.3 steals, and 1.3 dimes for the Life Pacific University.
He will have two playing years in red-and-white starting this UAAP Season 86.
The arrival of the quartet is a big shot in the arm for the Red Warriors which also welcomed American reinforcement Delvion Jackson, a 6-foot-8 center who will play his lone year in this coming campaign.
UE is looking to sustain its ascent after being one of the feel-good stories in the past UAAP Season 85 behind Mythical Team member Luis Villegas and graduates CJ Payawal and Nikko Paranada as well as the departures of Harvey Pagsanjan and Gani Stevens.
The Red Warriors will still have the sweet-shooting Kyle Paranada and upstart playmaker Noy Remogat as their holdovers as they begin their buildup starting in the 2023 Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup.
UAAP Season 85 is streaming on iWantTFC every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, available for Premium users outside the Philippines.