The NCAA Season 102 Men’s Basketball groupings have been set, marking the second straight year of the Play-In format for the century-old league.
Which Teams Belong to Group A and Group B?
Group A
- San Beda Red Lions
- Benilde Blazers
- JRU Heavy Bombers
- Mapúa Cardinals
- LPU Pirates
Group B
- Letran Knights
- Perpetual ALTAs
- San Sebastian Golden Stags
- Arellano Chiefs
- EAC Generals
Which Teams Can Make It to NCAA Postseason?
With the NCAA defending champions, the San Beda Red Lions, serving as host school, they remain the clear favorites heading into next season.
In Group A, early offseason impressions suggest the Benilde Blazers and the JRU Heavy Bombers could join the Red Lions in the postseason. The final slot may be a toss-up between the Mapúa Cardinals and the LPU Pirates, with whichever squad that shows more consistency earning the edge. JRU has already turned heads by staying unbeaten in the 2026 Filoil EcoOil Preseason Tournament with a 6-0 record, while the Blazers have built a reputation for consistently reaching the playoffs or Final Four in recent years.
Group B features the Season 101 runners-up, the Letran Knights, who remain frontrunners alongside the Perpetual Altas and the Arellano Chiefs. The Altas were last season’s biggest revelation, finishing the eliminations with a 9-4 record—the best in the league—though they fell short in the finals under head coach Olsen Racela. Arellano, meanwhile, held a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals last year and, despite missing the Final Four, are still projected to return to the postseason.
For the San Sebastian Golden Stags and the EAC Generals, the road ahead looks like a grinding battle to determine who can outlast the other and join Letran, Perpetual, and Arellano in the NCAA playoffs.
The opening date for NCAA Season 102 has yet to be announced, along with the league’s new television broadcast partner.
