Manuel is heading into a junior year where I feel that he has some momentum, and people are starting to take notice of the type of guard he is. He’s a score-first guard who is the team’s primary ball handler; they look for him to score, and he can get going at a moment’s notice. He led Arrupe Jesuit to a 17-7 record a season ago as he put up 13.8 points a game. He’s a two-way standout who used his defensive creativity to get steals in the open court for easy baskets. He had 5 or more steals in 5 games, and he took care of the ball. Loya handled pressure and read double teams and still got the offense going. He’s a player who we have in the rankings and hope we get to see a bit more of him before the season begins. 

Loya played effectively in January and is elevating his stock because it showed how impactful he can be as a lead guard on a winning team. Helping power Arrupe Jesuit to an 8–0 stretch, he consistently delivered 13.6 points per game while controlling pace and spacing. Despite being 5’9”, he plays bigger by understanding angles, finding open gaps and putting himself in the right spots on the floor. He’s a confident shooter who knows how to get to his spots and make defenses pay. That combination of efficiency, IQ and winning impact makes his January stand out

Arrupe Jesuit is not a team that has gotten a ton of attention, but they’re an interesting team with solid guard play. A guard who has been bringing it for two straight seasons and is having another solid outing is guard, Manuel Loya Manuel Loya 5'9" | SG Arrupe Jesuit | 2028 State CO . Loya is putting up 14 points a game. They’re playing interesting teams and battling; he’s making decisive decisions with the ball in his hands and can score with the best of them. Loya has put up double figures in all but one game, he turning guards over, and has multiple games where he has 7 steals and looks to attack. He’s a player we hope to see get out to a camp of tournament of ours this summer so we can get a deeper look at him, but he jumps into the rankings from the WL with his play. 

Manuel Loya Manuel Loya 5'9" | SG Arrupe Jesuit | 2028 State CO has put the pedal to the metal late in the season, racking up multiple 10+ point games. Loya is a quick guard who can blow by defenders and score on all three levels. Loya can also bring the clamps on defense to provide Arrupe Jesuit opportunities. Manuel, being in the class of 2028, means tons of improvement and development to look forward to.

Loya is at his best in transition, comfortable pushing the pace to create outlets for teammates or attempts in the paint for himself. Comfortable reading opposing defenses quickly, the guard works to attack the lane while opponents are out of position. 

Loya has posted 16.7 points per game while converting 38% from distance, effectively filling open space in the court to continue the pressure on opposing defenses. Active pushing the pace in transition, he works to create opportunities however possible.