Now that UAAP Season 87 is in the books, let’s take a glimpse at what UAAP Season 88 might look like for all eight teams.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…especially if you’re a fan of the UP Fighting Maroons. And even if you’re simply a UAAP fan, it can still be wonderful because this is the time of the year when The GAME Magazine looks into the future to try and see what the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball season has in store for all eight teams.
Will the defending champions have enough to go for a back-to-back? What’s in store for the DLSU Green Archers’ redemption tour? Can the UST Growling Tigers build on their Final Four run from Season 87? Here’s a snapshot of where all teams stand at the end of the calendar year.
(Please note that all the information that follows is based on the current situation of all teams as of December 20, 2024.)
Adamson Falcons
Who’s leaving: Joshua Yerro
The Falcons are coming off an inspiring run to the Final Four and look to be in good shape for Season 88 with only guard Wawa Yerro leaving. The core of Cedrick Manzano, Monty Montebon, John Calisay, Eli Ramos, and promising youngster Anthony Fransman are all slated to return.
Adamson has reason to be excited for next season with the debut of former juniors Mythical Five member Kobe Demisana, the six-foot-eight forward from UPIS who was slated to play for the Ateneo Blue Eagles but left after a year on the sidelines.
Demisana is a talented scorer who can be a match-up problem, and his offensive game is something sorely needed by the Falcons, who didn’t have a single player averaging in double-digit scoring last season and who were dead last in average points per game at 57.8. Look out also for six-two Renzo Competente, the former Gilas Youth standout who initially committed to UST.
Ateneo Blue Eagles
Who’s leaving: Chris Koon and Sean Quitevis
It was a season to forget for the Blue Eagles as for the first time since the UAAP expanded to eight teams in 1986, they finished eighth and last in the standings with a 4-10 record. Shot-making was definitely a problem as Ateneo shot a league-worst 33.2% from the field and a measly 56.6% from the charity stripe.
Veteran forwards Chris Koon and Sean Quitevis are the only Blue Eagles graduating, but this early the team already has secured the commitments of four promising players. Six-six Jelo Rota, six-three Alden Cainglet, and six-seven Lars Fjellvang are coming in from Sacred Heart School of Cebu, while six-three Fil-American guard Grayson Rogers is expected to bring some much-needed stability to the backcourt.
Jared Bahay, who led the team in scoring and came in second in the Rookie of the Year race, can only get better, while fellow newbie Shawn Tuano should also see an improvement in Season 88.
DLSU Green Archers
Who’s leaving: Joshua David, Isaiah Phillips, Kevin Quiambao, and Lian Ramiro
The Green Archers’ back-to-back bid was foiled by the UP Fighting Maroons, and they will enter Season 88 without the league’s best player for the last two seasons. In a move that surprised no one, less than 24 hours after Game 3 of the finals Kevin Quiambao announced his decision to turn pro and play in Korea.
DLSU is in good hands, though, as captain Mike Phillips will be back for a final season. The Green Archers will also have arguably the strongest batch of newcomers in Season 88 as transferees Mason Amos, Kean Baclaan, Jacob Cortez, and Luis Pablo will all be good to go. Other players looking to land roster spots include Justin Buenaventura, Rhyle Melencio, Russel Ogana, and six-eight Fil-Am center Dominic Sarmiento.
Add these names to veterans Earl Abadam, CJ Austria, EJ Gollena, JC Macalalag, and Vhoris Marasigan and you have a DLSU team that is locked and loaded to regain lost glory in Season 88.
FEU Tamaraws
Who’s leaving: Royce Alforque
At the end of the first round of Season 87, the Tamaraws were languishing at the bottom of the standings with a 1-6 record. But it never really felt like they were a doormat team as many of their losses were competitive. Sure enough, they put together a decent 4-3 record to finish just a game out of a playoff for the fourth slot.
Now that Sean Chambers has a full season under his belt, FEU is aiming to go further in Season 88. The Tamaraws look to load up with a pair of former Baby Tams in Gilas Youth stalwart Cabs Cabonilas and UAAP Season 85 Finals MVP Kirby Mongcopa, who they are looking to team up with another former Baby Tam, Season 87 Rookie of the Year VJ Pre, and Season 87 Mythical Five member Mo Konateh.
Only Royce Alforque has used up his eligibility, and expected to come back are scorers Jorick Bautista and Janrey Pasaol along with a hopefully finally healthy Cholo Añonuevo, who missed eight games with a leg injury. The Tamaraws need to work on their playmaking as they were last in assists in Season 87, dishing out less than 13 a game.
NU Bulldogs
Who’s leaving: Donn Lim and Patrick Yu
The Bulldogs encountered an incredible stroke of bad luck right in their opening game against the defending champs when foreign student athlete Mo Diassana suffered a knee injury that knocked him out for the rest of the season.
NU never truly found their footing after that, finishing at 5-9, although they were the only team to beat both finalists. Diassana’s return for Season 88 is still up in the air, but what is more certain is that the core of Jake Figueroa, Steve Nash Enriquez, Jolo Manansala, and Rheinhard Jumamoy are all still eligible to return.
Slated to be elevated from their high school program are Bullpups Jed Solomon, Migs Palanca, and reigning boys’ basketball MVP Collins Akowe, who if he does make the leap will take the FSA spot from Diassana. Standing at six-ten, Akowe could be a difference-maker for the Bulldogs, who will be looking to return to the Final Four in UAAP Season 88.
UE Red Warriors
Who’s leaving: Jack Cruz-Dumont, Ethan Galang, and Gjerard Wilson
Among all eight teams, the UE Red Warriors face perhaps the murkiest future. Coach Jack Santiago has publicly denied reports that he has been replaced, but rumors are rife that his contract, which ends this year, might not be renewed.
A lot of the uncertainty for UAAP Season 88 could be traced to the team’s inexplicable collapse in the second round, where they lost six straight to crash out of the top four. The UE coaching staff has always had a pipeline to Fil-American prospects, so if they leave then that source of recruitment might dry up.
New recruits are a must especially since the Red Warriors will be losing three key rotation players in Jack Cruz-Demont, Ethan Galang, and Gjerard Wilson. Whatever happens, expect John Abate and Precious Momowei to continue to lead the way in Season 88.
UP Fighting Maroons
Who’s leaving: JD Cagulangan and Quentin Millora-Brown
The future looks bright for the defending champs from Diliman even if they will be losing two key players from their championship run. Veterans Gerry Abadiano, Harold Alarcon, Terrence Fortea, and Francis Lopez have all announced that they will be returning to try and give UP its first-ever back-to-back titles.
Taking JD Cagulangan’s place will former UE hotshot Rey Remogat, while big man Seven Gagate, who missed Season 87 with a hand injury, is ready to return. Watch out also for Miguel Yñiguez, a skilled six-six wingman who has been lighting it up in the PinoyLiga Cup. There is also Nigerian Francis Nnoruka, an athletic six-nine big man who will challenge Dikachi Udodo for UP‘s FSA slot.
UP’s heavy recruitment, though, usually takes place in January and February, so some new names can be expected to be added to this provisional roster.
UST Growling Tigers
Who’s leaving: Christian Manaytay, Chase Lane, and Migs Pangilinan
Happy days are back in España as the Growling Tigers made a return to the postseason after a miserable two-season run that saw them compile a combined 3-25 record. There’s reason to believe that UST’s Final Four run in Season 87 was no fluke, and a return appearance in UAAP Season 88 is a strong possibility given the quality of recruits available for Season 88.
For starters, there’s the much-traveled Mur Alao, a six-two former Gilas Youth standout who’s made pitstops in DLSU, UE, and FEU before finally committing to UST last October. Former Green Archer Emman Galman will also be debuting in the gold and white, as will CSB transferee Michael Mara.
Also in the mix is six-ten former Tiger Cub Brix Verzosa, who was injured last season, former UPIS Junior Maroon Basty Jacob, and raw but promising six-five prospect Tyler Boston from Virginia. From the junior ranks, Tiger Cubs Koji Buenaflor, Alfred Loreto, Charles Esteban and Carl Manding will also vie for slots.
More importantly, Season 87 Mythical Five member Nic Cabañero has publicly stated he wants to run it back in Season 88, where he will form a deadly trio along with Forthsky Padrigao and Mo Tounkara.
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