By: Jerod Orcullo
For Daryl Valdeavilla, losing had become an all-too-familiar feeling.
From earning Rookie of the Year honors with the University of the Philippines Junior Fighting Maroons to enduring a grueling 1-13 season marred by injuries, the young guard knew something had to change.
He craved a winning culture—a place where he could grow, compete, and finally taste success.
That search led him to Colegio de San Juan de Letran, a powerhouse program chasing its third straight NCAA juniors basketball title. But as Valdeavilla quickly discovered, stepping into a championship environment meant proving he belonged.
With the departure of key players like Titing Manalili, George Diamante, and Alex Gazzingan—who are now pursuing their seniors’ careers—as well as championship-winning coach Allen Ricardo, who has taken over the seniors’ squad, the Letran Squires found themselves searching for new players to step up in their quest for a three-peat.
One of their key offseason acquisitions was Valdeavilla, a 16-year-old point guard from Calamba, Laguna, who previously shined for UP.
Valdeavilla played two seasons with the Junior Fighting Maroons, earning Rookie of the Year honors in UAAP Season 85 after averaging 14.0 points, 4.75 rebounds, 2.75 assists, and 1.83 steals per game.
However, his most recent season ended on a sour note, as UP finished last in the standings with just one win in 14 games. To make matters worse, Valdeavilla battled injuries throughout the campaign.
Now 17, the former Junior Fighting Maroon decided to take his talents to Letran in search of a fresh start.
“I really want to experience a winning culture, since coming from a team that always loses. So much lessons, I just wanted to experience, I just wanted a change for my career,” stated Valdeavilla in an interview with Tiebreaker Times.
His transition from the UAAP to the NCAA, however, has been challenging. Through Letran’s first two games, he has averaged just 2.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.5 steals per contest.
“Hindi ako natutuwa sa performance ko, honestly. Alam ko ‘di ganito laro ko eh. Sa UP, sobrang iba laro ko eh, and alam ko mas may maibibigay pa ‘ko, may mas maitutulong pa ‘ko. Tsaka parang nawawalan ako ng confidence, kaya hinahanap ko pa rin yun,” he continued.
Despite his early struggles, the 6-foot guard remains determined to contribute to Letran’s title defense.
“Syempre, I really want to get that three-peat. I want to be part of that three-peat. I just want to win. I just really want to experience how to win, since I’ve been experiencing losing a lot of times,” he said.
