PREPARATIONS for UAAP Season 89 are well underway for the University of the Philippines, including stints in both the premiere preseason tournament in the Philippines, as well as the first pan-regional university basketball league.
The Fighting Maroons are seeking a fourth consecutive championship in the Filioil EcoOil Preseason Tournament tipping off on May 17, for the first time without any of coach Goldwin Monteverde's longtime wards from high school.
This time, Jacob Bayla, Rey Remogat, and Gani Stevens will stand at the forefront, even as State U parades talented transferees in former UAAP Rookie of the Year Veejay Pre and onetime NCAA Finals MVP James Payosing.
AUBL na!
Not long after, UP then heads to the Asian University Basketball League (AUBL) for its summer tournament from August 2-9 at Binjiang Gymnasium in Hangzhou, China.
The AUBL is a two-year-old pan-regional organization sanctioned by the Asian University Sports Federation with the mission of serving as unifying platform for the continent's student-athletes to compete at the highest level, while also advancing culture across the region.
There, the Fighting Maroons will test its mettle against 11 other top collegiate teams from China in Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Chinese University of Hong Kong; Japan in Hakuoh University and Waseda University; Korea in Korea University and Yonsei University; Chinese Taipei in National Chengchi University; Mongolia in National University of Mongolia; and Australia in University of Sydney.
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