Grateful Jelo Rota Leaves Ateneo, Determined to Find Right Fit

For years, Jelo Rota’s basketball life was tied to the blue and white.

From his development with Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu to his move toward the next level with Ateneo de Manila, the 6-foot-5 Cebuano forward became one of the more anticipated frontcourt prospects in his class.

Now, after a difficult decision to part ways with Ateneo, Rota is preparing for a new start.

In an exclusive interview with ALL-STAR, Rota said leaving Ateneo was not a choice he made lightly.

The school, he said, had become more than a stop in his basketball journey. It was where he matured, formed lasting relationships, and learned many of the lessons that shaped him beyond the court.

“It was honestly one of my hardest decisions I’ve had to make,” Rota stated. “Ateneo has been my home for years. It’s where I grew and helped shape the person I am today.”

For Rota, the decision came from a desire to find an environment that could better support both sides of his life as a student-athlete. He did not claim the move as a rejection of Ateneo, but as a step he felt he needed to take for his development. As he looks ahead, he wants a school where he can handle the academic and athletic demands in a way that allows him to keep improving.

“I reached a point where I felt I needed a different environment that would allow me to better balance the demands of being a student-athlete and continue growing in both areas,” he said.

Before his college move, he built his name in Cebu with the Magis Eagles, helping SHS-Ateneo de Cebu remain one of the strongest high school programs in the region. He was part of a title-winning group in the CESAFI high school division and produced standout performances that showed his value as a rebounder, finisher, and mobile big.

His profile continued to rise outside Cebu. Rota was invited to Basketball Without Borders Asia in Abu Dhabi in 2023, joining some of the top young prospects in the region. He also earned recognition in the NBTC high school rankings, placing among the country’s top prospects in back-to-back years. Those milestones helped make him one of the notable recruits in Ateneo’s pipeline when he committed alongside fellow SHS-Ateneo de Cebu standouts Alden Cainglet and Lars Fjellvang.

Still, when asked what Ateneo meant to him, Rota returned first to people and memories, not rankings or recognition.

“Ateneo means a lot to me,” he said. “It is where everything started. It’s where I built some of my closest friendships, learned from great coaches, and experienced moments I’ll never forget.”

Rota now wants to be in a team environment where he can contribute to winning, not just wait for his turn.

“I’m looking for a place where I can continue to grow as both a student and an athlete, compete at a high level, and contribute to the team’s success,” Rota said. “More than anything, I want to keep improving, embrace new challenges, and help the program in any way I can.”

Rota’s next chapter will likely require patience. Like many transfers, he expects to go through residency before returning to official competition. For a player used to being on the floor, that waiting period can be frustrating. But Rota said he wants to treat the time away from games as a chance to rebuild his body, sharpen his reads, and address parts of his game that can sometimes be difficult to prioritize during a busy season.

“Nobody really wants to sit out,” he said. “But I see residency as a chance to work on parts of my game that I usually don’t have time to focus on during the season.”

At his best, he has shown the tools that made him an intriguing prospect: size, activity around the rim, rebounding instincts, and the ability to finish inside. The next stage of his career will be about adding layers to that foundation. He specifically pointed to strength and decision-making as areas he wants to improve, with the goal of becoming a more complete player before he is eligible to suit up again.

“By the time I’m eligible to play, I want to be the best version of myself and be ready to help my team right away,” he said.

For now, Rota leaves Ateneo with appreciation rather than bitterness. He carries with him the lessons from Cebu, the experience of national exposure, and the challenge of proving himself in a new setting.

“No matter where I go, I’ll always be grateful for everything Ateneo gave me,” Rota said.