For years, established powerhouses have dominated the grand old league. Can the Red Lions hold their ground, or will a rising challenger dethrone the reigning champions? Here is how each squad ranks ahead of the season opener on Sept. 13.
San Beda University (SBU) Red Lions
Statistical breakdown:
The San Beda Red Lions have consistently dominated the NCAA since Season 99, reaching the Final Four in Seasons 99 and 100. Over the past 3 seasons, they won 2 out of 3 championships against the Mapúa Cardinals and Letran Knights in Seasons 99 and 101, respectively. The Red Lions also led Season 101 with 79.06 PPG and 47 RPG.
Preseason analysis:
Despite losing core players, San Beda sustained their success, with Aldous Torculas emerging as one of their primary offensive options. The Red Lions posted a 7-2 record in the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup and advanced to the finals, finishing runners-up to the JRU Heavy Bombers. San Beda also claimed a podium finish in the National Student Athletes Championship (NSAC) World Invitational after a tightly contested battle against JRU, winning 70-69.
Previous Standing: 1st Place in Group B
San Beda wrapped up their elimination campaign with a 9-4 record. They continued with a 24-point win over the LPU Pirates in the quarterfinals, outlasted the Benilde Blazers in a best-of-three semifinals series, and finally overcame the Letran Knights to capture their 24th championship title.
Prediction: 1st Place
Despite losing core contributors, the Red Lions have repeatedly demonstrated resilience under Coach Yuri Escueta’s system, keeping them in championship contention. Emerging talents Torculas and Daniel Marcelo, alongside veterans embracing greater responsibilities, strengthen San Beda’s depth and experience to position themselves to reclaim the championship title.
Jose Rizal University (JRU) Heavy Bombers
Statistical breakdown:
The Heavy Bombers have struggled with consistency since Season 97, bouncing between bottom-tier finishes before placing fourth in Group B in Season 101. They featured a balanced offense led by Shawn Argente with 13.36 PPG and Sean Salvador contributing 13.07 PPG, alongside Ivan Panapanaan's defense dropping 7.80 RPG and 1.47 BPG.
Preseason analysis:
JRU enters the season with one of the strongest preseason campaigns. Powered by new recruits, they won the U-Belt Invitational and 19th Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup, while finishing fourth in the NSAC World Invitational. Their Filoil run included a 7-1 in the group-stage record before sweeping San Beda in the finals.
Previous Standing: 4th Place in Group B
They concluded their Season 101 campaign with a 6-8 record. While competitive showings versus league leaders demonstrated potential, inconsistency continued to limit the Heavy Bombers. Critical setbacks against the EAC Generals and Benilde Blazers hindered their momentum.
Prediction: 2nd Place
Coming off a strong preseason, JRU adds championship experience in Chris Hubilla and Lawrence Mangubat to an established core. They have the tools to challenge San Beda, but preseason dominance does not always translate to NCAA success. A championship is possible if they can translate their dominance into the center stage.
Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL) Knights
Statistical breakdown:
Letran returned to the Finals last season for the first time since their Season 98 championship. The backcourt duo of Jimboy Estrada and Jonathan Manalili powered the team and were both ranked among the league’s top scorers. However, significant roster turnovers heading into Season 102 could test their ability to remain as contenders.
Preseason analysis:
Unphased by veteran departures, Letran looks primed behind fresh talents. Rookies such as Justin Cargo gave the Knights an early spark, helping them secure a win in the AsiaBasket NSAC before their quarterfinal exit. Meanwhile, Chad Gammad, the apple of Letran’s eye, helped Letran finish its Filoil elimination campaign at 8-1 with a 27-point explosion before falling to JRU, 82-73.
Previous Standing: 3rd Place in Group B
After finishing third in Group B with an 8–5 record, the Knights’ consistency and depth became more evident as they secured a win over Arellano University’s twice-to-beat advantage and swept the top-seeded Perpetual Help Altas in a best-of-three series. The Knights ended their two-year Finals drought before succumbing to a San Beda championship sweep.
Prediction: 3rd Place
The Knights proved last season that they have the pieces to make a deep season run, but repeating that success will be a tougher challenge. Estrada, Manalili, and Gammad still provide enough scoring to contend for another Final Four berth. However, their preseason campaign showed that gaps remain against the league’s top contenders.
De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Blazers
Statistical breakdown:
Benilde remains a perennial NCAA contender with five straight Final Four runs, but converting strong campaigns into titles remains their ultimate hurdle. After consecutive Finals losses to Letran in Season 99 and Mapúa in Season 100, the Blazers once again fell short in the Season 101 semifinals against San Beda.
Preseason analysis:
Their preseason run was relatively quiet, ending with a fifth-place finish in the Filoil Preseason Cup NCAA group and a quarterfinal exit in the AsiaBasket NSAC. Nevertheless, this lack of preseason dominance may not fully reflect their form, especially given their established core and experience.
Previous Standing: 2nd Place in Group B
Despite a strong 9-4 run to secure Group B’s second seed, their second-half inconsistency and late-game struggles proved costly against the San Beda Red Lions after losing the deciding game, 84-81.
Prediction: 4th Place
Anchored by returning stars Allen Liwag and Justine Sanchez, Benilde’s proven system keeps them in the Final Four mix. However, Liwag is currently recovering from a leg injury, and his availability for the upcoming season remains uncertain. Filling roster gaps remains the main concern, making another fourth-place finish the safest prediction.
Mapúa University (MU) Cardinals
Statistical breakdown:
Mapúa finished third in Group A last season, but their core has undergone major changes heading into Season 102. Clint Escamis was their primary offensive weapon, while Joe Gulapa, Hubilla, and Mangubat also played important roles in their rotation. Losing six players from last season leaves the Cardinals with significant gaps in scoring, playmaking, and overall experience.
Preseason analysis:
Despite team rebuilds, Mapúa finished in the Top 4 of the Filoil Preseason Cup NCAA Group with a 7-2 record and third in Group D of the AsiaBasket NSAC College Basketball Campus Tour. The main challenge now is giving their new roster time to grow into those vacated roles.
Previous Standing: 3rd Place in Group A
Mapúa reached the quarterfinals before falling to the Blazers and missing the Final Four. Their early exit and the departure of several key players make repeating their previous finish difficult.
Prediction: 5th Place
The Cardinals may struggle to remain competitive this season following their major roster turnover. Losing key players from their championship core leaves significant gaps in scoring, leadership, and court experience, particularly against rivals with a more intact core.
University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (UPHSD) Altas
Statistical breakdown:
The Perpetual Altas missed the Final Four in Seasons 99 and 100 before Patrick Sleat swooped in to fuel the team’s resurgence. Hailed as Player of the Week on October 1 to 12, 2025, Sleat averaged 10.75 PPG, 5.25 RPG, and 3.5 APG, along with 1.75 BPG and 1 SPG during a 4-0 start to their campaign. Furthermore, the Las Piñas squad, spearheaded by Sleat and Mark Gojo Cruz, secured a 3rd-place finish in Season 101 against the Benilde Blazers in their 87-75 triumph.
Preseason analysis:
Perpetual endured a difficult Filoil campaign, finishing 7th place with a 3-6 record. Sleat, John Abis, JP Boral, and Jearico Nunez moved on to the professional leagues, leaving younger players with larger responsibilities. However, experienced players Cruz and Aries Borja led the squad to a bronze finish in the Roxas City United Movement Tournament over De La Salle University. Perpetual remains a contender even after the departure of key contributors.
Previous Standing: 1st Place in Group A
The Altas closed the elimination round as the top seed of their group with a 9-4 record. The last time Perpetual opened with a 4-0 record was in 2015, marking a better start than they had in past seasons.
Prediction: 6th Place
Despite having a pivotal year, the key pieces of Perpetual’s roster left substantial gaps and placed greater responsibilities on the team’s emerging players, which may be difficult to navigate against more intact teams during the season.
Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) Generals
Statistical breakdown:
The Generals have yet to find their momentum over the past 3 seasons, finishing with a 9-9 record in Seasons 99 and 100, and placing last in Group B with a 4-9 record. The numbers reflect a decline in EAC’s results.
Preseason analysis:
Much like their NCAA campaign, EAC continued to face setbacks in the preseason, ending the Filoil elimination round with a 4-5 slate. The Generals defeated the Chiefs, Altas, Blazers, and Golden Stags but succumbed to the rest of the teams, placing 6th at the end of eliminations in the Filoil Preseason.
Previous Standing: 5th Place in Group B
The Generals’ last-place group finish carried into another early exit. EAC also failed to advance to the quarterfinals after bowing to JRU in the play-in.
Prediction: 7th Place
As key additions give much depth to the team’s talent, the Generals may finally reestablish themselves as contenders led by Jude Bagay, Wilmar Oftana, and EJ Castillo, leveraging their homegrown talent for a stronger season.
Arellano University (AU) Chiefs
Statistical breakdown:
Arellano finished tenth in Season 99 with a 2-16 record. In Season 100, the Chiefs snapped a 12-game losing streak with an 87-73 win over San Sebastian, their first victory of the season. Season 101 marked a breakthrough, as the team climbed to second in Group A with a 7–6 record and secured the twice-to-beat advantage.
Preseason analysis:
In contrast to their breakout Season 101 campaign, the Arellano Chiefs struggled to find their footing in the preseason. In the AsiaBasket NSAC, the Chiefs managed just one win, an 82-75 victory over St. Clare College of Caloocan Saints, with T-Mac Ongotan leading the charge with 23 points, six rebounds, and five steals. They then finished ninth in the Filoil Preseason Cup at 1-8. However, six of their losses came by single digits, including three overtime defeats, showing they remained competitive despite the results.
Previous Standing: 2nd Place in Group A
After two seasons of searching for their rhythm, the Chiefs secured the second spot in Group A last season, ending the eliminations with a 7-6 record. However, they failed to carry that momentum into the playoffs, wasting their twice-to-beat advantage as the Letran Knights swept them in the quarterfinals.
Prediction: 8th Place
Despite their mediocre preseason performance, the team’s steady improvement in the league proves they are not a team to overlook. Their closely contested preseason losses show that they can still compete. Powered by Ongotan and Rayjohn Ladica, who carry strong preseason form, Arellano remains a team to watch heading into Season 102.
Lyceum of the Philippines (LPU) Pirates
Statistical breakdown:
Lyceum’s NCAA run has shown a gradual decline over the past three seasons. The Pirates lost to San Beda despite a twice-to-beat advantage in Season 99, then fell to Benilde in a battle for third. They finished fourth in Season 100 and remained stagnant in Season 101, placing fourth in Group A. Ato Barba led their offense, while Gyle Montaño provided key backcourt production. Losing both veterans leaves gaps in scoring and experience.
Preseason analysis:
Lyceum went winless in the AsiaBasket NSAC before finishing eighth in the Filoil Preseason Cup with a 3-6 record. Renz Villegas provided consistent scoring, including a 27-point outing in their win over EAC. Meanwhile, Matthew Rubico emerged as another key contributor with his steady double-digit production.
Previous Standing: 4th Place in Group A
The Pirates finished fourth in Group A last season with a 3-10 record before falling to San Beda in the quarterfinals. Barba averaged 13.86 PPG, while Montaño recorded a season-high 22 points against San Sebastian. Their production kept Lyceum competitive, but their early playoff exit extended the team’s struggle to return to championship contention.
Prediction: 9th Place
Following consecutive final four appearances in Seasons 99 and 100, the Pirates stumbled in Season 101. Their core failed to regain its winning form despite a veteran presence. Anticipating Rubico’s return in the fold, Lyceum now looks to build chemistry and regain the consistency needed to make another deep playoff run.
San Sebastian College-Recoletos (SSC-R) Golden Stags
Statistical breakdown:
San Sebastian missed the Final Four in the past 3 seasons, posting a 6-12 slate in Seasons 99 and 100, and finishing 3-10 at the bottom of Group A in Season 101. The previous seasons reveal a decline in San Sebastian’s performance, underscoring the team’s need to regain rhythm and reposition themselves as contenders in the league.
Preseason analysis:
The Golden Stags finished winless in the Filoil Preseason Cup at 0-9 against NCAA opponents. Narrow losses to Mapúa, Lyceum, and San Beda demonstrated their competitiveness, but heavier defeats elsewhere exposed difficulties in maintaining consistency on both ends of the court.
Previous Standing: 5th Place in Group A
Despite the standout performance of Jhuniel Dela Rama, the Golden Stags were unable to fortify themselves as contenders in Season 101. San Sebastian ultimately faltered to the Lyceum Pirates in the play-in.
Prediction: 10th Place
San Sebastian enters a rebuild after key departures and the return of their Season 91 head coach, Rodney Santos. Another major driving factor is whether the remaining players will be able to fill the contributions helmed by the previous core players. The Golden Stags’ hopes of climbing out of the league’s lower ranks will rest on a unified effort from experienced players taking greater roles and recruits helping turn the season around.
