By: Jerod Orcullo
As UAAP Season 87 unfolded, King Vergeire faced the daunting task of rebuilding the University of the Philippines Integrated School basketball program—one that had long struggled to make an impact in both the junior high school and boys’ divisions.
After suffering a winless 0-14 campaign in the junior high school basketball tournament last semester, Vergeire had a last chance to avoid another season without a victory in the boys’ basketball tournament.
UPIS endured a brutal stretch, losing all 13 elimination-round games.
But in their final matchup, Vergeire’s squad found itself on the brink of a breakthrough.
Trailing Ateneo de Manila University 60-65, the Fighting Maroons mounted a rally and seized a 69-68 lead with just 4.2 seconds remaining.
However, Ateneo’s Jay-M Leal shattered UPIS’ hopes, converting a game-winning putback with 1.2 seconds left.
With that heartbreaking finish, the Fighting Maroons closed their campaign with a 14th consecutive loss.
Despite ending the season without a single win, Vergeire remained proud of his team’s resilience.
“As a student-athlete, they really lifted the badge of honor, they really played their hearts out, and at the same time, they did well in school. So that’s one thing I can be proud of,” he said.
Before stepping into a coaching role, Vergeire was once part of the UPIS roster, playing alongside the Gomez de Liaño brothers—Joe, Javi, and Juan.
Though he never made it to the collegiate ranks as a player, he gained valuable experience within the system, later serving as an intern under head coach Goldwin Monteverde in UAAP Season 85.
The UP high school basketball program is known for its high academic standards, requiring players to maintain at least an 85-percent grade average.
Vergeire acknowledged that this made recruiting more difficult, but he dismissed the notion that academics were the primary reason for UPIS’ struggles this season.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Honestly naman, you know, it’s a misconception. It’s not really about mataas yung grades, it’s not really about the recruitment. This season was just really our first season as a team,” he explained.
“So we were really just trying to adjust, and I credit the boys—na they were really doing their best to adjust for us this season.”
As the son of the late NCAA championship-winning coach Dong Vergeire, King understood the pressure that came with leading UPIS. But instead of shying away from it, he embraced the challenge.
“Definitely, there’s going to be pressure, pero again, it’s for me to grow as a coach, grow as a person. So I really took that as a challenge,” he said.
Though it was another difficult season for the UPIS basketball team, the first-year head coach remained steadfast in appreciating his players’ determination to uphold the Fighting Maroons’ signature resilience.
“Yung never-give-up mentality—just because it’s really hard mentally to still fight even though we don’t have a win. I really credit the seniors—Jaime, Rocco, Theo, and Jhonette—for never giving up and being leaders on the court,” Vergeire said.
With Season 87 in the books, the road to rebuilding UPIS remains long. But for King Vergeire, the journey has only just begun.
