With the departure of King Eagle Thirdy Ravena, fans are left to speculate who his successor will be at Ateneo.

It will be a big hole to fill, as Ravena wrapped his stellar UAAP career with three consecutive championships, an unprecedented three Finals MVP awards, and a pro-ready game to boast.

His graduation — along with teammates Isaac Go, Nieto twins Mike and Matt, and Adrian Wong — leaves Ateneo with the biggest challenge in its basketball program in four years.

Who will be the next face of the Blue and White? We already know about SJ Belangel’s emergence, but there’s another guy slowly introducing himself to the Filipino basketball community.

Newcomer Dwight Ramos, a 6-foot-5 US-based Filipino, is ready to lead the charge and continue the winning tradition of the Katipunan school.

“I was supposed to come to Ateneo maybe three years ago, out of high school,” the California-raised guard and Ateneo’s prized recruit told “UpFront.”

“But my dream was to play college basketball in the States still. So then after a while, my dream changed a little bit. So I wanted to come here and play.”

Things worked out for the best for both parties.

On his side, the 21-year old played for Walnut High School, where he caught the attention of many college scouts.

He then proceeded to live his dream and represent California State University in Fullerton in NCAA Division 1 basketball for two years. He then played Division 2 basketball in California State Polytechnic University in Pomona for a season.

For Ateneo, UAAP basketball fans know what has happened to the program — three straight years of college dominance and possibly more with Ramos’ arrival.

Entering one of the best systems and playing under arguably the best basketball mind in the country could be intimidating, but the defending UAAP champs made the transition easier for Ramos.

“When I came here to visit the school, everyone on the team was just so friendly. It was only my first day practicing and everything. I felt like I was part of the team already,” Ramos said.

Blue Eagles coach Tab Baldwin, Ramos said, was also one of those who talked him into pursuing basketball in the country.

“I already knew coach Tab from high school from when he tried to get me to come here,” Ramos said.

To get recruited personally by one of the best coaches in the country already says a lot about Ramos’ talent and value to the team.

Over the past few months, Ramos has shown flashes of his potential on the hardcourt.

These are highlighted by a brief stint in the PCCL and a Gilas Pilipinas call-up to compete in the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 qualifiers.

The PCCL was his first true test against top college teams and he did not disappoint.

Despite mostly playing as a reserve, he produced solid numbers, including a breakout performance against NCAA champions Letran Knights, wherein he tallied 16 points to pace the team.

This helped Ateneo reach the finals and claim back-to-back titles in that league.

Many were surprised by the inclusion of an unfamiliar name in the Gilas pool.

Ramos was chosen to be a part of a 12-man Gilas team that will compete in the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup, giving him an invaluable opportunity to learn from PBA veterans such as Troy Rosario, Poy Erram and Justin Chua, while growing with younger ballers in the squad.

Given the pandemic, however, UAAP’s new season is expected to encounter some delays.

But when asked about it, Ramos remains excited.

“Last year, I was watching all the games during my residency. The crowds were crazy, the energy was insane, so I just couldn’t wait to play,” he said.

His much-awaited debut might still be unknown, but the 21-year old promises to be ready when his number is called.

“When the opportunity finally comes back to play then I should be ready,” Ramos said. “Whenever that comes, it comes.”

Catch the whole interview with fun questions and UpFront challenges here:

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv

For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.