International in all youth categories, U20 European champion, and a classic product of the Estudiantes academy, where he earned the affection and respect of Demencia, are just some of the highlights in the career of Héctor Alderete, one of the new signings for La Laguna Tenerife for the upcoming season, who has arrived on the island.
**Training at Ramiro** – Héctor began his journey in the Estudiantes youth system, starting from minibasket and sharing the academy with his older brother, Diego. Born in 2002, the younger of the Alderete brothers was part of the team that claimed the Spanish championships in the under-14 and under-16 categories in 2014 and 2016. He was also a key player in securing promotion from EBA to LEB Plata in both 2019 and 2021.
**A mainstay in his Community’s national team** – The new aurinegro player holds the record for the most appearances with Madrid in the Autonomous Community Championships, having participated in seven National tournaments throughout his various youth categories. Additionally, he has been a regular member of Spain’s lower divisions, participating in the U16, U19, and U20 Eurobaskets, sometimes even advancing to categories older than his actual age group.
**Part of the U16 Ideal Five** – His international career began with a seventh-place finish at the U16 European Championship in 2017, a year younger than his teammates. The following summer, he secured a silver medal at the Eurobasket of the same category held in Novi Sad (Serbia). That year, he was also named to the tournament’s Ideal Five, alongside Spanish player Usman Garuba, Croatians Roko Prkacin and Boris Tirma, and Turkish NBA player Alperen Sengun.
**U20 European Champion** – Héctor Alderete continued his journey with Spain, finishing fifth in the U19 World Cup in 2021, and the following summer, he became the U20 European champion. This success opened the door for him to be included in Sergio Scariolo’s initial shortlist for the Eurobasket in 2022. Notably, he coincided in that selection with Jaime Fernández and Fran Guerra, with whom he will now share a dressing room.
**A tale of resilience** – The new Canarias player has faced several obstacles in his career, having to overcome multiple serious knee injuries. Throughout his journey, he trained alongside his brother Diego at Ramiro, whom he faced in the Primera FEB last season. Diego has signed with a team in Cantabria for the upcoming year, while competing for Hestia Menorca.
