BUILDING greatness has to start somewhere.
And for all 10 teams competing in the NCAA Season 101 seniors basketball tournament, it all begins with how they look on the court.
READ: Who passes the In-Game Fit Check in UAAP Season 88?
Just like in the UAAP, SPIN.ph is here to rank what we feel are the best jerseys, as the 'Grand Ol League' opens a brand new centenary.
TOP OF THE CLASS
San Beda Red Lions
For years, San Beda has been the gold standard in jerseys in the NCAA and this season is no different.
Doing away with the vintage look they had in seasons' past, Anta decked out the Red Lions in a simple jersey and opted for slimmer yet sleeker serif fonts for the names and numbers.
The biggest change is the tribal-inspired side panels which accentuates the overall look for the Mendiola crew.
Perpetual Altas
Clean and classy are the best words to describe Perpetual's uniforms this year.
World Balance stayed true to the Altas' elegant cursive typeface, while marrying it with its futuristic number choice.
Using the gold as an accent also does the Altas wonders, from outlining the numbers to the sharp singular line in the side panels.
DEAN'S LISTERS
San Sebastian Golden Stags
This is one exhibit of maximizing your school colors.
Doing away with traditional over-the-top patterns, Phenom gave the Golden Stags the best of both worlds, with the Old English text for San Sebastian still dominating the front to the futuristic sharp font for the numbers and names on the back.
The half-and-half choice for the shorts is a curious decision, but that only shows boldness which this young squad evokes.
Letran Knights
Plain and simple, Letran didn't need to do much to stand out this year.
And LGR knew that, drawing inspiration from the classic Chicago Bulls uniforms and taking it to this year's kit for the Knights, as they did away with the Old English font for the numbers for a more simplistic block font, while also opting for a V-neckline.
One slight issue we have, however, is that we'd rather not have stenciled letters for the names on the back. Still, this one's just fine.
PASSING GRADES
Lyceum Pirates
Sometimes, going back isn't really a relegation but rather, acknowledging what worked best.
Lyceum did that with this season's unis, shunning the horrendous white outlines which overshadowed last year's jerseys and blending it well with the Trajan Pro font for the classy finish.
The simple block side panels also didn't hurt, as it complemented the slim outline the jerseys had on the neckline and armholes.
Benilde Blazers
Moving on from the vintage 2000s look it had the last three seasons, Benilde embraced its vision for the future by tapping into the block font the school has been using.
Anta mixed it well with the rounded numbers, and tapping the Signum Fidei star as the main highlight for the side panels is a beautiful touch for this year's Blazers kit.
The only issue we have, though, is that we'd rather not have these glossy and shiny threads - a stark contrast to those of CSB's sister team across Taft.
BARELY HANGING
JRU Heavy Bombers
You really can't do much for a blue-and-yellow colorway that won't remind the people of ube and cheese.
And we promise you, JRU tried, but what are those in the side panels? Are those supposed to be... Molotovs?
Whatever it is, we're still not digging the futuristic numbers it has grown fond of over the years which does not blend well with the sharp sans serif fonts used for the names at the back - a stark contrast to the typeface used for Jose Rizal University at the front.
NEEDS IMPROVEMENT
Mapua Cardinals
This just ain't it if you're the defending champions.
Mapua went HAM with the outlines, and we mean wild to the highest degree on its numbers and names which ran in contrast to the sleek Trajan Pro typeface for the Mapua crest on the chest.
The military insignia-inspired side panels were also problematic, as it also ran on the left side on the top and on the right side at the bottom.
It's a classic case of doing too a little bit of everything for the Cardinals.
EAC Generals
Look, we get it. The star is an essential detail Emilio Aguinaldo College must have in its uniforms.
But Power Hoops did not need to distort the already trimmed down EAC on the chest just to make that design choice happen. They've already done that in seasons prior and this one's just a big fat no.
That fatal flaw muddled what could have been a decent jersey for the Generals, especially with the nice touch offered by those ribbon-like side panels.
Arellano Chiefs
Apologies to Arellano, as playing around with gray and blue is already a difficult task to begin with.
At least, EastPrnt Clothing stuck with the Michigan State typeface which has been a magnificent choice over the years, but those wide side panels - with the word 'Chiefs' plastered once again on the right side of the shorts - is still a design choice we're not approving.
Silver linings, though, is that at least it's not last season's baby blue atrocities.
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