Seven student-athletes caught the attention of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas during the inaugural eFIBA x UAAP esports eGilas talent discovery tournament held from October 18 to 20 at the MVP Studios in Mandaluyong City.
Throughout the three-day competition, eGilas program director Ryan Gregorio and the national team’s coaching staff closely monitored the participants, looking for potential additions to the eGilas pool. Most of the coaches are also handling teams in the first-of-its-kind eFIBA collegiate tournament.
The student-athletes who made a strong impression were National University’s John Reyes, Andrei Enriquez, and Dunn Visitacion; University of Santo Tomas’ Daemiel Argame and Eryx Delos Reyes; Adamson University’s Enzell Banaag; and De La Salle University’s Doniel Parducho.
“The level of competition and the talent on display give us a promising glimpse of the future of Philippine esports basketball. We want to identify players who not only possess the necessary skills but also demonstrate discipline, competitiveness, and the willingness to represent the country,” Gregorio said.
Reyes, Enriquez, and Visitacion played key roles in steering the Bulldogs to achieve the first-ever UAAP “golden road.”
Reyes emerged as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after averaging 23.5 points, 12.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. Enriquez contributed 14.8 points per contest, while Visitacion posted 9.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.6 steals.
For the runner-up Teletigers, Delos Reyes led the way with an average of 20.0 points, while Argame chipped in 5.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game.
Banaag served as the Soaring Falcons’ floor general, averaging 17.1 points and 11.2 assists, while Parducho emerged as La Salle’s standout with 10.1 points, 16.9 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per contest.
With a packed international calendar awaiting Philippine esports basketball in 2027, Gregorio hopes to assemble the pool early next year and begin preparations for the challenges ahead.
“We want to give these young players an opportunity to grow and prove themselves within the national team program. The goal is to build a competitive pool early, develop their chemistry, and prepare them for the demands of international competition,” Gregorio said.
“This tournament is an important first step in finding the players who can help carry eGilas forward.”
