The NCAA Season 101 will open on October 1, 2025, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, and here are 5 exciting teams that basketball fans must follow.
Colegio de San Juan de Letrán
The Letran Knights have shown post-2020 that they can still get it done no matter what. And this Season 101, they are led by their breakout star, Kevin Santos, along with the offensive juggernaut backcourt duo of Deo Cuajao and Jimboy Estrada.
The 6-foot-6 forward Santos made headlines last year when he made the All-Defensive team. Cuajao and Estrada have proven to be unstoppable once their offensive side has been ignited.
But what’s really exciting is how Syrex Silorio and Jhuniel Dela Rama fit into the Seniors squad after being standouts from the Letran Squires (Junior Team). Dela Rama has averaged 12.56 points, 9.22 rebounds, and 1.67 assists through the elimination round in S100, while Silorio was a key piece in Squires’ back-to-back titles in Seasons 98 and 99.
Can the Knights finally regain their championship form and reclaim the trophy that they won last 2022-23?
Lyceum of the Philippines University
The LPU Pirates have long been an “assured team in the playoffs” but have never gotten over the “semis hump”.
And now, as LPU becomes the Host School for Season 101, graduating student John Barba isn’t holding back anymore.
After being snubbed in the recent 2025 PBA Draft, which saw John go undrafted, he is now in a revenge mode to prove his worth in his final collegiate year. Last S100, Barba was part of the Mythical Five, averaging 17.61 points, 5.83 rebounds, 2.89 assists, and 1.22 steals per game.
Along with fellow cornerstones Greg Cunanan and Mclaude Guadaña, who made impacts in the winning culture last season, the LPU Pirates are seeking to finally put an end to their semis curse.
San Beda University
The San Beda Red Lions have long put a chokehold on the NCAA Championship for the majority of 2010s basketball.
From 2010 to 2024, out of the 14 total titles (excluding the pandemic in 2020), the Red Lions have won 9 of them. This includes a 5-peat (2010-15) and a 3-peat (2016-19).
Yukien Andrada, Jomel Puno, and James Payosing have all proved that they are the real trio for the Red Lions. And now that big man Andrada is graduating as he gets selected by the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2025 draft, they are out here to showcase the “championship pedigree” as they aim to win another title and just like what they did in 2023-24.
College of Saint Benilde
The idea of CSB Blazers winning a title has long been overdue, and a lot of fans have said online that this might be their final shot at reaching the finals ever again.
Despite the departure of their all-around guard Tony Ynot as he goes pro with the Converge FiberXers, they still have their Season 100 MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, Allen Liwag, with them.
Liwag has carried the Blazers on his back for quite some time now, and last season, he averaged 14.61 PPG, 11.28 RPG, 2.33 APG, and 1.22 BPG per outing as they settled for the Silver medal finish.
Casual fans must also watch out for Gab Cometa, Justine Sanchez, and Jhomel Ancheta. Sanchez was also part of the Mythical Five last season, while Cometa has long blossomed into a “scoring facilitator,” and Ancheta is finally thriving in his role.
It’ll be interesting to see how their junior team standouts, Arle Podador, Dale Ortega, and James Ison, will fit into the seniors’ lineup and in the system of Head Coach Charles Tiu.
Mapúa University
The defending champs, Mapúa Cardinals, should still be the #1 reason why everyone should tune in to NCAA 101.
The Season 99 MVP and Season 100 Finals MVP Clint Escamis is making sure he’ll win back-to-back titles before he graduates in 2026.
“Siyempre, college isn’t forever. Gusto ko lang talaga i-savor ‘yung one final year ko [sa Mapua] and academics din,” Escamis told GMA News Online on Friday.
“Importante sa akin ‘yun (finishing studies), na hindi lang ako puro basketball and fallback ko din [‘yun] kasi you’ll never know what will happen. At least kasi hindi makukuha ‘yung degree mo sa’yo.”
The Cardinals will parade another batch of promising recruits in rookie Icee Callangan and transferees Cyril Gonzales and Cyrus Nitura as they look to retain the title in Intramuros.
