THE University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) is adjusting its Season 89 collegiate men and women basketball schedule in September to give way to the national teams’ campaign in the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games and the FIBA 3×3 Under-23 World Cup 2026 in Wuhan, China.
‘The support of the UAAP is important to our national team programs, especially with so many of our student-athletes being called up to represent the country,’ Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Erika Dy said.
‘We appreciate the UAAP for working closely with us and for making the necessary adjustments to accommodate our national team commitments,’ she added.
‘We have always believed that the UAAP’s mission goes beyond the competition,’ said UAAP Season 89 president Mark Molina of host Far Eastern University (FEU).
The UAAP Season 89 opening ceremony will be held on September 12 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena with Vice Ganda and Gloc-9 headlining the festivities.
The first game day will be on September 13 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with FEU facing Adamson University at 12 p.m., followed by defending champion De La Salle University taking on National University at 2:30 p.m. in a rematch of last season’s Final Four.
University of the Philippines will then square off against University of Santo Tomas (UST) at 6 p.m. Separate tickets will be sold for the UP-UST game.
On September 16 at the MOA Arena, Ateneo de Manila University and University of the East will make their season debuts at 3 p.m., followed by De La Salle versus UST at 5:30 p.m.
September 19 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum will see National University taking on UE at 3 p.m., followed by Round 1 of the Battle of Katipunan between Ateneo and UP at 5:30 p.m.
The September 26 play date features another triple-header at the MOA Arena-Ateneo facing Adamson at 12 p.m., UE against FEU at 2:30 p.m. and UP against NU at 6 p.m.
Separate tickets will be sold for the UP-NU game.
On September 30, Adamson University faces UST at 3 p.m., followed by FEU versus La Salle at 5:30 p.m. at the MOA Arena.
FEU’s Cabs Cabonilas and Jedric Daa and Adamson University’s Earl Medina are competing in the FIBA 3×3 Under-23 World Cup which runs from September 15 to 19.
De La Salle’s Luis Pablo and Doy Dungo and UST’s Koji Buenaflor will suit up for Gilas Pilipinas in the Asian Games which will be held from September 21 to 25.
The collegiate women’s basketball tournament will also have a late start as the Gilas Pilipinas teams for the Asian Games-both 5-on-5 and 3×3-and the Under-23 World Cup are expected to be composed largely of UAAP student-athletes.
‘We are very grateful to the UAAP for its understanding and support of our 3×3 program and our national team athletes,’ SBP 3×3 basketball program director Ryan Gregorio said.