LebCo Male Athlete of the Week: Robert Santiago (Week Ending December 15, 2024)

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Robert Santiago

The 2024-2025 Lebanon Boys Basketball Team has shown exciting promise as they have started the season by winning four of their first six contests. Besides breaking their two-year losing streak with a win over Oxford, there may not have been more of a statement win than the one that came over McCaskey on December 13th. In front of the home crowd, Robert Santiago led the Cedars with 18 points in the important Section 1 matchup. As a result, the LebCoSports.com voters gave their respect to Santiago (and his teammates) by selecting the senior as the LebCo Male Athlete of the Week.
In the 63-56 victory, Santiago had 2 points in the 1st quarter before becoming more involved in the offense the rest of the way. Of his scoreboard contributions, Santiago went 6-9 from the charity stripe.

When asked about the game, Santiago said, “I came out to slow the first half, and then the second half, I picked it up. From there, my teammates and I played hard.” The effort included 17 points from fellow senior Manny Suarez.

As the Cedars are beginning to feature younger players like freshman Derek Franco, along with sophomores Manny Martinez and Alec Wolfe, the leadership offered by seniors Santiago, Suarez, Ihab Abdallaoul, and Ben DiScuillo has become essential to third-year head coach Kris Uffner’s recipe for success.

In regards to Santiago’s role as a leader, Uffner said, “Over the past year, Robert has become a strong leader in our program, and along with our other seniors, he’s been committed to getting better, both in the weight room and in skill work and open gyms. He’s not only played a vital role for us this season in our games, but his leadership and work ethic should have a positive impact on our program.”

For Santiago, it was not always this way, as he saw his biggest challenge as “finding a role on the team”. Uffner provided insight, saying, “Robert is a great kid and has come a long way as a basketball player. He really only began playing organized basketball in middle school, which makes his progress even more impressive.”

Uffner went on to say, “With him being one of our bigger players [listed at 6’2″], he plays out of position (for him) as a big player but has figured out how to play to his strengths and have success. The biggest improvement I’ve seen in him is his rebounding and how he attacks the ball.”

Over the three-game stretch that included games against McCaskey, Solanco, and Penn Manor, Santiago averaged 13.7 points and 6.7 rebounds. Defensively, the forward has also provided 1.7 blocks and .7 steals per game.
Santiago thanks his teammates and the coaching staff for helping him improve. He said, “I wouldn’t be here without them.”

His goal for the season is to “play hard” to help the Cedars finish above .500, a goal that would have seemed lofty during the Class of 2025’s first two years playing at the varsity level. It is not an attainable goal, thanks to their hard work and dedication.

Santiago, who is also a member of Lebanon’s Track & Field Team, is hoping to find an opportunity to play basketball at the collegiate level. However, his main goal is to find “success” in life. His work ethic, along with his sense of humor, are assets that will help him along his journey.

Uffner cited evidence of Santiago’s ability to succeed, saying this of his senior: “Robert is proof that if you want to be good at something and put in the work, that positive results will happen. I am extremely proud that he is a part of our program.”

We extend our congratulations to Santiago and wish him and his Lebanon Cedars all the best the rest of the way this year, a season that he would like to caution you about when he says: “Don’t doubt us.”

Photos provided by Lebanon Basketball

Read about this week’s LebCo Female Athletes of the Week (Coming Soon)

For a full list of this week’s nominees, check out: Athlete of the Week Voting: December 9-15

Previous Winners

Jason Foutz (Week of December 2nd)