By: Waylon Galvez
Expect thrilling and action-packed competition in the 23rd season of the National Athletics Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (NAASCU) men’s basketball tournament, set to unfold in 2025.
NAASCU president Dr. Ernesto Jay Adalem revealed that the league is preparing early to maximize the pool of talented players from schools outside the UAAP and NCAA, the country’s more established collegiate leagues.
“Through the years, we have shown that bigger leagues don’t necessarily mean bigger talents,” said Adalem, who also serves as vice president of St. Clare College.
St. Clare College, under the guidance of head coach Jinino Manansala, made history this season by clinching their seventh straight championship and eighth overall—a record-breaking feat in NAASCU history.
The Saints’ remarkable run erased the previous record set by University of Manila, a founding member of NAASCU, which won five consecutive titles under the late coach Ato Tolentino.
(C) NAASCU
“It was all hard work—not just by the coaching staff but by the entire team as well,” said Manansala.
His father Jimmy Manansala, a PBA legend and the 1978 Rookie of the Year, played a key role as the team’s consultant.
Over the years, NAASCU has produced notable players who have made it to professional leagues such as the PBA and MPBL. Among them are Jio Jalalon, Samboy de Leon, Chito Jaime, and Alvin Abundo.
For the upcoming season, Adalem emphasized the league’s goal of reaching a broader audience through traditional and social media platforms to solidify its position as one of the country’s premier collegiate leagues.
St. Clare’s latest triumph came against Our Lady of Fatima University in a dramatic come-from-behind victory in the best-of-three championship series.
After dropping Game 1, the Saints rallied to win the title at the Novadeci Convention Center in Quezon City.
The championship was highlighted by standout performances from Finals MVP Ahron Estacio and Rookie of the Year JB Lim, who led St. Clare to another historic milestone.
