The UAAP is expected to use the UAAP Final Four format. There are five tournaments in two divisions: the collegiate division tournaments and the 16-under tournament of the high school division are being held in the first semester of the academic year. Meanwhile, the boys' and girls' tournaments will be held in the second semester.
Former Ateneo varsity player Jai Reyes has been named commissioner, with Jong Uichico as consultant, and Dino Lee, Mikko Abello and Ginny Velarde as deputy commissioners.[1]
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) requested the UAAP to allow their players to apply for the PBA season 50 draft while the UAAP season is ongoing.[2] The UAAP rejected the PBA's request, citing the need to consistently apply their eligibility rules across all events, not just men's basketball.[3]
Referee compensation
This season, the UAAP introduced a tiered system for compensation for its referees. Referees officiating men's tournaments matches get ₱3,000 per game, ₱2,500 for boys' tournaments matches and ₱2,000 for girls' and women's tournaments matches. In the previous season, referees are paid ₱2,500 per game regardless of tournament. This caused backlash insisting that pay either should be equal or the female tournaments should have not been reduced.[4] Reyes argued that referees in the men's tournaments have to contend with faster pace of play for men's games, justifying higher compensation.[5]
Women's tournaments participants such as coaches and players said that they were offended by the UAAP's actions [4][6] By October 22, the UAAP's commissioner's office revised the referees' compensation, basing it on the referees' status, instead of the tournament, with pay not based on the sex of the participants of the game that is being officiated.[7]
Teams
Men's basketball is a mandatory event in the UAAP, where all 8 universities are required to field in teams.
The girls' tournament is a demonstration sport and is not mandatory.
University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS)
Junior Fighting Maroons
King Vergeire
Dave Moralde
—
University of Santo Tomas Senior High School (UST)
Tiger Cubs
Manu Iñigo
Noli Mejos
Junior Tigresses
Arsenio Dysangco
12Since 2017, Ateneo de Manila University is the only member school that does not use an acronym for official communications and graphics, according to their branding guide.[8] Third parties still routinely use the "ADMU" acronym to refer to Ateneo such as One Sports[9] and the LaSallian.[10]
The UAAP's return to the newly-renovated Blue Eagle Gym is its first after 20 years for the men's tournament and 6 years for the women's tournament.[20]
Each team has a roster of up to 16 players. Only one "foreign student-athlete", non-Filipinos who are otherwise known as "imports" elsewhere, is allowed to be on the active roster.
Starting next season, the UAAP will allow up to two imports in their pool, with still one allowed on the active roster, while another is available on the reserve list. The change is to provide teams with "roster security".[21]
Source: UAAP on Livestats Legend: Blue = left column team win; Red = top row team win. Matches with lighter background shading were decided after overtime.
The top two seeds have the twice-to-beat advantage where they have to win just once, while their opponents twice, to progress.
(1) NU vs. (4) La Salle
The NU Bulldogs become the first team to clinch a semifinals berth after their victory against Adamson.[24] They then clinched the twice-to-beat advantage with their win against UE.[25] UP's loss to La Salle gave the #1 seed to NU.[26] La Salle's elimination round finale win against Ateneo gave them the #4 seed.[27]
The UP Fighting Maroons clinched the semifinal berth after winning against Adamson.[28] With UP's loss to La Salle, they settled for the #2 seed.[26] The UST Growling Tigers clinched a Final Four berth after winning against top-seeded NU.[29] UST clinched the #3 seed after La Salle's defeat of Ateneo in the elimination round finale.[27]
The UP Fighting Maroons clinched their fifth consecutive Finals berth after winning against UST.[30] Meanwhile, the De La Salle Green Archers clinched their third consecutive Finals berth. This is the third consecutive time La Salle and UP met in the finals.[31]
The referees of the Adamson vs. UP first round game were suspended for three game days after they allowed Adamson to play with four players, one less the required five, for twenty seconds late in the fourth quarter.[41]
Wello Lingolingo of UE was suspended for 3 games after incurring an unsportsmanlike foul against La Salle's Kean Baclaan. Lingolingo served out UE's first round game with FEU, and the first two games of the second round.[42]
Coach Chris Gavina of UE was suspended for 4 games after an expletive-ridden rant on the postgame press conference after their loss against La Salle. Gavina served out UE's first round game with FEU, and the first three games of the second round.[43] RJ Argamino coached UE against FEU,[44] and on the rest of the games Gavina was suspended.[45]
Gelo Santiago of NU was suspended for 5 games after incurring a disqualifying foul against Ateneo's Waki Espina. Santiago served out his suspension against La Salle, Adamson, FEU, UE, and UST.[46]
Vhoris Marasigan of La Salle was suspended for 1 game after incurring a disqualifying foul against NU's Omar John. Marasigan will supposedly serve his suspension against Ateneo,[47] but with the postponement of that game, he served out his suspension on their game against FEU.
EJ Gollena of La Salle was suspended for 1 game after incurring a disqualifying foul against UP's Francis Nnoruka. Gollena will serve his suspension against Ateneo.[48]
Women's tournament
The tournament started on September 24 with UP winning over Adamson.[49]
Elimination round
The UAAP postponed the November 9 games due to the predicted effects of Typhoon Uwan (Fung-wong).[23] These games were then rescheduled to November 26.[50]
Source: UAAP on Livestats Legend: Blue = left column team win; Red = top row team win. Matches with lighter background shading were decided after overtime.
The UST Growling Tigresses, by virtue of winning all 14 elimination round games, qualified to their third consecutive finals.[51] The NU Lady Bulldogs, for their part, clinched their 11th consecutive finals berth, and will face the Tigresses for the third consecutive finals.[52]
Coach Haydee Ong of UST was suspended after being called for two technical fouls on their game against Adamson. Ong will serve out her suspension on their game against Ateneo.[54] Sen Dysangco coached the Tigresses against the Blue Eagles.[55]
Boys' tournament
The tournament is expected to be held on the second semester.
Girls' tournament
The tournament is expected to be held on the second semester.
16U tournament
The tournament began on September 20, 2025 with FEU Diliman defeating Ateneo.[56]
Source: UAAP on Livestats Legend: Blue = left column team win; Red = top row team win. Matches with lighter background shading were decided after overtime.
FEU Diliman secured a semifinals berth after their win over DLSZ.[57] Adamson's victory against UE clinched the playoffs berth for the former, and eliminated the latter. Adamson qualified to the stepladder quarterfinals.[58] FEU's defeat by UST in their elimination round finale relegated them to the stepladder quarterfinals.[59]
UST clinched a semifinals berth after winning against Ateneo.[60] The Tiger Cubs clinched the #2 seed with their defeat of FEU Diliman in the elimination round finale.[59]
The NUNS Bullpups were the first team to clinch a semifinals berth after their win against the Adamson Baby Falcons.[61] They then clinched the twice-to-beat advantage after winning against FEU Diliman.[62] After winning all elimination round games, including the finale against UST, the Bullpups clinched an outright finals berth.[63] The FEU Diliman Baby Tamaraws qualified to its first 16U finals after defeating previous season's finalists UST.[64]
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NU Bulldogs 
UST Growling Tigers 
Ateneo Blue Eagles 
Adamson Lady Falcons 
