The fight for the UAAP crown is in full swing as Season 87 reached its midway point with all teams having played seven games each, with last year’s finalists La Salle and UP leading the pack.
But have you ever wondered when each of the schools last ruled the competition in men’s basketball?
Let us take you through the way back machine to explore each of the member school’s last time at the top before they vie for another chance at UAAP glory once the second round begins this weekend.
DLSU Green Archers - 2023 (Season 86)
Of course, who can forget the reigning and defending kings of UAAP men’s hoops, as La Salle won the men’s basketball title last year for the first time since Season 79.
After years of domination from rivals Ateneo and emerging contender UP, the cagers from Taft proved themselves back in top form despite missing out on the Final Four the year before.
With an experienced Kevin Quiambao leading the cavalry, La Salle emerged as title contenders after sweeping the second round, ending up as the second seed at the end of eliminations.
La Salle needed to recover from a blowout Game 1 loss in the Finals before ultimately taking two straight games against UP to win the title in three games, giving first-year coach Topex Robinson a fitting end to his debut season as La Salle coach.
UP Fighting Maroons - 2022 (Season 84)
UP’s journey to the UAAP summit was one for the books during the pandemic-shortened Season 84 tournament, where they solved the Ateneo puzzle for the school’s first championship since 1986.
Going up against a powerhouse Ateneo team, the Fighting Maroons had to dig deep from their bag and needed contributions across their roster — from blue-chip rookie Carl Tamayo to graduating senior Ricci Rivero.
UP emerged victorious with the slimmest of margins as an injured CJ Cansino sent the winner take-all Game 3 into overtime, where JD Cagulangan then etched himself into UP’s history with his game-winning triple that sent the Diliman crowd into a frenzy at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Though a short reign as another UAAP season began just a couple of months after, it became a memory that the current Fighting Maroons are eager to recreate.
UE Red Warriors - 1985 (Season 48)
A lot of people forget that among all powerhouses in UAAP men’s basketball, the UE Red Warriors are among the teams that have the most championships in league history, as they were led by the likes of legendary coach Baby Dalupan in the mid-20th century.
With a whopping 18 championships, the Red Warriors have the second-most titles in men’s basketball — tied with the UST Growling Tigers. Behind only FEU with 20 championships, UE last won it all back in Season 48 in 1985.
They were named back-to-back champions after trumping a twice-to-beat disadvantage against the then-known UST Glowing Goldies. Riding the coattails of emerging basketball great Allan Caidic, the Red Warriors emerged victorious.
Now with new generation stars like Precious Momowei, Wello Lingolingo, and John Abate, the Red Warriors are looking to establish themselves as title contenders anew and hope to end a 39-year championship drought.
UST Growling Tigers - 2006 (Season 69)
There’s a reason that there was a lot of fanfare when Pido Jarencio made a return to the Growling Tigers’ den last season to coach the team. That’s because the last time UST won the UAAP championship, Jarencio was also at the helm with his ever-famous 'Puso, Pride, Palaban' mantra.
Despite ranking third heading into the Final Four in UAAP Season 69 back in 2006, UST overcame a twice-to-beat disadvantage against the season hosts UE in the semifinals to reach the championship round.
The Growling Tigers bucked the absence of injury-hit Jemal Vizcarra that season to get themselves into the mix late in the season. After booting out the favored Red Warriors in two close games, UST met the Ateneo Blue Eagles for the first time in the UAAP Finals.
Even as Doug Kramer edged the Growling Tigers in Game 1 for an Ateneo victory, the Growling Tigers leaned on the offense of Finals MVP Jojo Duncil to emerge victorious in the series — including a heart-stopping 76-74 overtime win in the deciding game.
Now that Jarencio is back at the sidelines for UST, the next generation of Tigers — led by Nic Cabañero, Mo Tounkara, Gelo Crisostomo, and Forthsky Padrigao, are hoping to break their slump and get the crown back to España.
Adamson Soaring Falcons - 1977 (Season 40)
Not many are aware that the longest active drought for a UAAP men’s basketball title now unfortunately belongs to the Adamson Soaring Falcons, as the San Marcelino-based squad has yet to win the title in men’s basketball since Season 40 in 1977.
Though enjoying a lot of titles in other sports such as their celebrated women’s softball team, Adamson's men’s basketball team hasn’t seen much success in recent years.
Their first and only championship came under head coach Moises Urbiztondo.
Not much is written about Adamson’s only title so far in men’s basketball, but it came at the expense of the UP Fighting Maroons whom they escaped in the championship match, 81-79, that gave the Soaring Falcons the title.
Hector Calma was among the players that vied in that championship match in a season that also saw Adamson take the juniors basketball crown under Urbiztondo as well — the team’s second crown in three years.
With a lot of their championship moment lost to history, the Adamson Soaring Falcons will be eager to etch their names in history books anew with a title in the coming years.
NU Bulldogs - 2014 (Season 77)
There is valid reason why National University’s women’s basketball program mostly outshine their male counterparts, as the former has had a lot success in recent years — including a run that saw seven straight UAAP titles for the Lady Bulldogs.
But during the first year of the NU women’s dominance back in 2014, the men of Sampaloc were also able to get hardware of their own, as they made an unlikely run for the men’s title in UAAP Season 77.
Despite having to fight for their spot in the Final Four through a knockout playoff game against the UE Red Warriors, NU overcame all adds to be the UAAP champion as the no. 4 seed in the tournament.
Against a Kiefer Ravena-led Ateneo, the Bulldogs overcame a twice-to-win disadvantage as they stunned the top-seeded Blue Eagles with two close game wins.
The Bulldogs were powered by the likes of Jay-jay Alejandro, Troy Rosario, and Alfred Aroga in their title bid that also included a three-game series against Mac Belo and the FEU Tamaraws.
After a close loss in Game 1 to start the Finals series, NU came out with two back-to-back blowout wins in Game 2 and 3 to claim the title.
Now under the tutelage of true-blooded Nationalian Jeff Napa, the Bulldogs are determined to get themselves going again.
FEU Tamaraws - 2015 (Season 78)
Fresh from a heartbreaking end to their season in 2014, the FEU Tamaraws were able to get over the hump in UAAP Season 78, claiming the school’s historic 20th championship in 2015.
The winningest program in UAAP men’s basketball, the FEU Tamaraws overcame the UST Growling Tigers in three games to win the title for the first time in 10 years.
Bearing the lessons of their loss against NU the year before, Mac Belo and Roger Pogoy made sure not to let anything get in their way as they entered the Finals in just one game against Ravena-led Ateneo in the Final Four.
They then started strongly against the Tigers in Game 1, with the only Finals win in the series that was decided by double digits. Though they failed to close the series out in Game 2, Finals MVP Belo took over in Game 3 for a 67-62 victory at the packed MOA Arena.
Now with a champion coach in Sean Chambers leading the way, the Morayta squad will look to add to their fabled history in men’s basketball with another championship sooner rather than later.
Ateneo Blue Eagles - 2022 (Season 85)
It is not surprising that most people are shocked to see the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ current 1-6 record midway through UAAP Season 87.
That is, for the longest time, Ateneo has been synonymous with success in men’s basketball.
From Norman Black’s 5-peat Blue Eagles in the late 2000s to early 2010s, to Tab Baldwin’s four titles in five seasons since UAAP Season 80, there is no shortage of championships for the Katipunan-based squad.
The most recent championship came just two seasons ago back in 2022, when the Blue Eagles completed a redemption run against the UP Fighting Maroons in three games.
Sparked by the towering Ange Kouame, the Blue Eagles won their first title without Thirdy Ravena since Season 80. Kouame ended up as Finals MVP as they derailed the campaign of the Fighting Maroons for back-to-back titles.
The win gave a fitting send off for then-seniors Kouame, Dave Ildefonso, and BJ Andrade.
Now with a rebuilding team of Blue Eagles, Baldwin hopes to reconstruct the foundations of a winning program.