By: Miguel Caramoan
It was a memorable NCAA Season 100 for Ato Barba – a campaign that marked a sharp upward trajectory in his career.
The 6-foot-2 winger earned a spot in the Mythical Five while leading Lyceum of the Philippines University to a third straight Final Four appearance, posting impressive averages of 17.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.
That rise seemed to set the stage for the next level. But despite his strong collegiate resume, a series of setbacks followed. The first came when his name was not called during the 2025 PBA Draft.
Still, the graduating forward remains grounded in the dream that fueled him throughout his college years.
“Alam naman natin na pangarap talaga ng bawat basketball player na Pilipino is makaangat ng PBA and ayun talaga main goal. Sana mabigyan pa ng opportunity na makapasok din and may other options na professional basketball league and dun ko na lang ipapakita,” the 25-year-old native of Sta. Rosa, Laguna said.
Barba’s numbers in Season 101 — 13.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists — were solid, though understandably lower than his breakout campaign the previous year. Opposing teams keyed in on him, forcing tougher reads and limiting his clean looks.
“Ayun nga syempre, last season nakapag-breakout ako, kaya ngayong season ine-expect ko talaga yung depensa sa akin mas mahirap. Ibibigay talaga sa akin yung mga weakness ko and doon sila nag-focus,” he admitted.
That defensive attention contributed to a rocky start for the Pirates, who dropped their first five games before finishing the eliminations at 3-10. Their difficult path continued in the postseason, surviving the play-in against San Sebastian before falling to San Beda in a lopsided 91-67 quarterfinal defeat.
With persistent challenges in closing out games, the climb back to the Final Four proved too steep for Barba and the Pirates.
“Ayun, nawala si Bravo, and madaming nawala sa team. Daming nangyari sa team, ups and downs and dumating na rin sa time na maraming nag-eexpect sa amin and hindi namin nabigay yung expectations na yon,” he shared.
With Bravo’s eight-year tenure with the Pirates coming to an end, Barba now turns his attention to carving out a role at the professional level.
Whatever league becomes his next stop, he intends to carry the leadership lessons from his final collegiate season.
“Ang laki ng pinagbago ko as a player this season kasi ginawa akong captain ball ni Coach Gilbert. Syempre kailangan ko pakita sa mga teammates ko na ang pagiging leader and kapag nada-down sila kailangan lapitan ko sila,” he said.
