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The De La Salle Green Archers continue to prepare for the future by investing in their local talent.
Former Gilas Pilipinas youth center Raven Cortez will remain with La Salle to play for Taft during UAAP season 84, head coach Derick Pumaren confirmed to ESPN5 Tuesday afternoon.
“It will be a great addition to our future front line. Most of them will graduate when Raven is eligible,” Pumaren said in a message. Justine Baltazar, Brandon Bates and Tyrus Hill are all set to play their seniors next season.
The longtime coach, along with the team’s managers, traveled to Dagupan, Pangasinan, and met with Cortez, his mother and his sister on August 23. Cortez expressed his commitment to the team on Tuesday.
Cortez will have one year of eligibility left with the De La Salle-Zobel Junior Archers team as he recovers from a knee injury that forced him to miss the entire UAAP 82 youth basketball tournament.
He only managed to play in three games for DLS-Z in season 81, registering averages of 9.3 points, 8.7 rebounds. 2.0 blocks and 1.7 assists.
The 6’7 Cortez was part of an imposing front court, along with Kai Sotto and AJ Edu who represented the country at the FIBA U-17 World Cup in 2018, where he averaged 7.0 scores, 4.7 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block in Argentina.
He last dressed at the Asian U-18 Championship in Thailand, where he averaged 3.2 points and 6.5 rebounds.
Cortez is set to clog the paint with former NU Bullpup Kevin Quiambao, and will play alongside transfers Evan Nelle (San Beda) and the duo of Mark Nonoy and Deo Cuajao (UST) in season 84.
