UAAP basketball championships

The UAAP basketball championships are basketball tournaments held from September to December by the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, and the men's tournament is the flagship tournament of the UAAP. Basketball is a mandatory sport for all schools. All eight universities participate in the men's, women's, and high school (boys') tournaments.

History

The tournament is divided into two divisions, the collegiate (formerly seniors') division, which is further subdivided into the men's and the women's tournament, and the high school (formerly juniors'), which is subdivided into boys' and girls' tournaments.

The UAAP basketball sport has a rich history of schools establishing dynasties. UE won a record seven consecutive basketball titles from 1965 to 1971 albeit the third one was a shared championship with UST. Ateneo had a 5-year winning streak from 2008 to 2012. Two other schools ended their championship streak at four. UST won it from 1993 to 1996 and La Salle from 1998 to 2001.

The championship in basketball, with its major overall points contribution to the annual UAAP general championship tallies, is one of the most coveted titles. The boys' tournament was called the "juniors' tournament" prior to 2019. The tournament was held concurrently with the seniors' tournaments in the first semester of the academic year (July to October), until 2014, when it was moved to the second semester (November to March).

Tournament format

Pre-first expansion format

Before the UAAP's first expansion, teams would play a single round robin where the team with the best record would be crowned champions. If two or more teams are tied, they would be declared co-champions. No quotient system or knockout games were used to break ties.

First expansion format

Teams play a double round robin in a split season format. The winner of the first round play the winner of the second round in a 1-game championship to determine the champion. Ties for round winners are broken by knockout games.

If a team wins both rounds, it is automatically declared the champion, regardless if it was a sweep or not. If a team fails to win either rounds, but ends up with a better over-all record than either of the round winners, that team will challenge the second round winner for a championship slot against the first round winner.

Second and third expansion format

Teams play a double round robin. The top two teams (over-all record) after the double round robin play in the Finals with the No. 1 seed holding a one-win advantage in a best-of-three series. If a team sweeps the double round robin, they are automatically declared champions.

Final four format

The tournament currently uses the Final Four format, first implemented in 1993. The Tournament begins with a double round-robin elimination, where a team plays the other teams twice to determine which teams will qualify for the semi-finals (also called Final Four). The top four finishers enter the Final Four phase.

Sweeper's advantage

Previously, if a team sweeps the double round robin, they are automatically declared champions. However, after UST's sweep in 1993, it was modified so that the sweeping team would automatically qualify for the best-of-three Finals. After UE swept their way to the Finals in 2007, it was again modified so that the sweeping team would now automatically qualify for a best-of-five Finals, holding a 1–0 game advantage.

Regular final four

If no team sweeps the double round eliminations, the four top teams (and tiebreakers, if applicable) qualify for the regular postseason.

The regular post-season is divided into the semi-finals (also called the Final Four) and the Finals. In the semi-Finals, the two top seeds (Nos. 1 & 2) have a twice-to-beat advantage against the lower seeds (Nos. 3 & 4).

The surviving teams face off in a best-of-three finals, where the team which notches two wins first wins the championship.

Step ladder final four

From 2008 to 2015, if a team wins all of the games in the elimination round, the step ladder format is used, where the unbeaten team has a bye up to the best-of-5 finals holding a 1–0 game advantage. The third and fourth seed will figure in a knockout game; the winner of that game will face the second seed with a twice-to-win disadvantage. The surviving team meets the first seed at the Finals. The format was modified in 2016, where the unbeaten team proceeds to the best-of-3 finals without any playoff advantage, but the knockout games in all of the three semifinal seeds remain in place.

List of basketball champions

Early years

The foundation of the UAAP by FEU, NU, UP and UST in 1938.

First expansion

Adamson University, Manila Central University, University of Manila and University of the East were admitted in 1952 on a two-year probationary membership status. Only UE and MCU retained as permanent member. However, MCU pulled-out in 1962. Adamson was readmitted into the association in 1970.

Second expansion

Ateneo was accepted as a member in 1978.

Third expansion

La Salle was accepted as a member in 1986.

Final Four era

Introduction of the Final Four format.

Inclusivity era

In line with the association's commitment for inclusiveness, the tournament for girls' division was introduced in 2019, and a junior high school tournament was introduced in 2023. The tournament was renamed as the 16U boys' division in 2025, while the existing high school tournaments were renamed as 19U.

Notes

Number of championships by school

Including championships won when a tournament was a demonstration sport for Girls' and 16U tournament.

Notes

Statistics

• Longest finals appearances

• Longest finals match-ups between two teams

• Longest championship streaks

• Longest unshared championship streaks

• Longest championship droughts

• Elimination sweeps

The first ever sweep in UAAP basketball history was recorded by the FEU Tamaraws in 1980.

Championship streaks

Notes

a.^ UE Red Warriors own the longest championship run in Seniors Basketball, with seven straight championships (including a shared title), from 1965 to 1971.

b.^ Includes the 2004 championship, where De La Salle forfeited the championship due to the fielding of ineligible players.

c.^ Includes the disputed 1991 championship where De La Salle did not show-up in the replay of Game 1.

Final Four records

* Does not include 6 seasons (1997–98, 1999–2000, 2006–07, 2010–11, 2014–15 and 2017–18) where Ateneo swept the elimination round and automatically advanced to the Finals.

^ Does not include 2 seasons (2013–14 and 2015–16) where NU swept the elimination round and automatically advanced to the Finals.

Awards

Most Valuable Player

Men's tournament

Women's tournament

Boys' tournament

Girls tournament

Finals MVP

Men's tournament

Women's tournament

Boys' tournament

Rookie of the Year

Prior to 2005, all players playing in their first year (including transfers and those elevated from "team B") are eligible for the award.

In Season 68, the rule covering the collegiate division was changed. Only fresh high school graduates are eligible. The exception was in UAAP Season 85 when those enrolled in 2021, along with those enrolled in 2022 or fresh high school graduates, are eligible for the award at the collegiate level. Similarly, in the same season, adjustments were also implemented in the high school division where only those aged 17 and below will be eligible for the same award.

Men's tournament

Women's tournament

Boys' tournament

Commissioner

Notes

Facts and trivia

• Last championship

• Last finals appearance:

• Championship streaks: The UE Red Warriors owns the longest championship run in UAAP seniors' basketball, with seven straight championships (including a shared title), from 1965 to 1971. The University of Santo Tomas won the juniors', women's and men's championship in the 1994–95 season, the only instance where the three championships were won by a school in one school year. De La Salle University won both the men's and women's basketball championships in the 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2013 seasons, making them the first school to win three consecutive double championships in the seniors' division tournament. The Ateneo de Manila University won the juniors' and men's championships in 2008 and 2009, making them the first school to score a back-to-back double championships in men's and juniors divisions. The following year 2010, Ateneo won the titles in both divisions again, making them the first school to win a three-peat double championship. The NU Lady Bulldogs owns the longest championship run in UAAP women's basketball, with seven straight championships from Seasons 77 to 85. They also hold the record for the longest winning streak by any team in any sport in the UAAP, at 108 games (6 consecutive 16-game season sweeps from Season 77 to Season 82 + no tournament in Seasons 83 and 84 + all first 12 games of the eliminations in UAAP Season 85), and the first team in the league's history to win at least 100 consecutive games. The Ateneo de Manila University won the men's championships in seasons 80, 81 and 82, making them the first school in UAAP history to win a 3-peat championship multiple times in the Final Four era. They are also the first men's basketball team to win all of their games in one season in the Final Four era, and has the longest winning streak in UAAP men's basketball history, at 39 games (10 from 2nd round of the eliminations to Finals in Season 81 + 16 for the entire season in Season 82 + no tournament in Season 83 + 13 in all first 13 games of the eliminations in Season 84). The UP vs. La Salle Game 3 in 2024 holds the record for the largest in-venue attendance in any UAAP basketball match, and the second largest overall in-venue attendance in any sporting event in the UAAP, with 25,248 spectators at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Championships by coach

Listed below are the coaches who won at least one UAAP men's championship. The list is incomplete.

See also

• NCAA Basketball Championship (Philippines)

External links