ADAMSON may be the only UAAP team not to get its passport stamped, but that didn’t stop the Soaring Falcons from scouring the provinces in their build-up for Season 88.
READ: Overseas trips now a staple of teams' build-up for UAAP
The San Marcelino squad is actually the winningest collegiate team this offseason, winning two provincial titles on top of the three preseason championships in Manila-based tournaments.
In Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur, Adamson stunned University of Santo Tomas in the final to successfully defend the crown in the Mayor Kirk Asis Open Invitational Basketball Tournament last June. Also participating were Far Eastern University and NCAA teams Letran and Jose Rizal University.
The Soaring Falcons continued that trend in August when they emerged victorious in the Cebu City Inter-Collegiate Tournament after topping Benilde in a field which also had Perpetual and CESAFI teams University of San Carlos and University of San Jose-Recoletos.
“It really helped us, yung mga preseason tournaments namin,” said coach Nash Racela of his team’s nationwide tour. “We know that it helps us with our growth especially yung experience ng mga players.”
But at the same time, Racela won’t be fooled by these outcomes.
As much as Adamson made the most of these invitational tournaments, these also paled in comparison to the stiffer competition that awaits in the UAAP.
As he put it, “We also understand na this is not a good basis on how we’ll perform sa UAAP. Hindi natin alam kasi in the same way when you think of the other programs, they’ve also improved kahit hindi sila nag-champion. It’s not always like that when you get to the UAAP.”
Nonetheless, Racela is appreciative of the local government units which extended invitations to the Soaring Falcons, as they augmented their preparations even as rivals went abroad.
“Whether we had favorable results o hindi, we always appreciate the tournaments that we play in,” he said.
La Salle, UP also cop provincial titles
La Salle also gained a preseason hardware when it won the Piña Cup 2025 in Ormoc City back in June, getting the better of National U in the final of the four-team event which also included Adamson and local club OCCCI.
The University of the Philippines also dominated the Marty Cup 2025 in Tacloban City in July, besting the Altas in the title game, as local teams from Leyte also participated.
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