AN influx of collegiate stars and standouts has made the coming MPBL 2026 Season more competitive, with many teams beefing up their lineup.
The likes of La Salle's Kean Baclaan (Caloocan), Ateneo's Dom Escobar (Caloocan), University of the Philippines' Harold Alarcon (San Juan), Adamson's Cedric Manzano (Quezon Province), University of Santo Tomas' Nic Cabanero (Binan), University of the East's John Abate (Quezon Province) and National University's Jolo Manansala (Quezon Province) have shown their UAAP pedigree during the recent 2026 MPBL Preseason Invitational.
SOURCES SAY Abra Weavers signing Padrigao faces 'complications'
Other equally strong players strutting their stuff in the regional league starting on April 10 are Ateneo's Kymani Ladi (Caloocan) and Joshua Lazaro (Zamboanga SIKAT), NU's Steve Nash Enriquez (Pasay) and Mark Parks (Pasay), UST's Kyle Paranada (Ilagan Isabela), and UP's Terrence Fortea (San Juan), Gerry Abadiano (San Juan), Reyland Torres (San Juan), and Janjan Felicilda (Zamboanga SIKAT).
The exodus comes at a time when the PBA is not holding a rookie draft due to a prolonged season, mainly due to breaks to give way to Gilas Pilipinas' campaign in the Fiba World Cup qualifiers and the Asian Games.
The NCAA is well-represented, too, with the likes of Mapua's Drex Delos Reyes (Abra) and JC Recto (Mindoro), Perpetual Help's Patrick Sleat (San Juan), St. Benilde's Anton Eusebio (Gensan), Lyceum's John Michael Versoza (Gensan) and Joshua Moralejo (Gensan), and San Sebastian's Paeng Are (Quezon City) leading the pack.
Joining them are Perpetual's Jearico Nunez (San Juan) and John Paul Boral (San Juan), Mapua's Cyril Gonzales (Pasay), and Benilde's Gab Cometa (Basilan).
Fil-Am Tucker Molina (Abra), University of Makati's Nelo Santos (Gensan) and Christian Jake Agoncillo (Quezon City), and Gardner College's Patrick Buena (Quezon City) are also raring to shine after making their mark in the preseason tournament won by reigning MPBL national champion Abra Solid North.
The 6-foot-8 Delos Reyes and the 6-7 Molina are ready to dominate the paint for the Abra Weavers with 6-8 Raven Gonzales, the 2025 Rookie of the Year, in tow.
The Caloocan Batang Kankaloo are out to challenge the Weavers' supremacy with Baclaan, Escobar, and the 6-8 Ladi leading the charge, and so are the San Juan Knights behind Sleat, Alarcon, Fortea, Torres and Abadiano.
The Quezon Huskers, the back-to-back South Division champions, remain formidable with the addition of Manzano, a member of the 2025 Southeast Asian Games champion Gilas Pilipinas, Manansala and Abate.
This early, a crowded race for MPBL Rookie of the Year and MVP honors is expected with these eager youngsters out to displace the veterans and current superstars.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
