From green to maroon, Veejay Pre’s move may have shocked collegiate basketball — but for the UAAP Season 87 Rookie of the Year, settling into his new home in Diliman is becoming smoother, thanks to the brotherhood he’s found in his new teammates.
Just over a week since his transfer from the Far Eastern University to University of the Philippines, Pre is already drawing strength from his new ‘kuyas’ — Harold Alarcon, Gerry Abadiano, Terrence Fortea, and fellow transferee Rey Remogat.
Their leadership and support have eased Pre’s transition into unfamiliar territory with the Fighting Maroons.
For the pride of Pampanga, the guidance means everything — especially after leaving behind the Tamaraws, a team he called home for five years.
“Masaya at na-feel ko na agad na welcome ako. Yung pagdalaw ko pa lang sa practice, nung in-approach nila ako, sobrang welcome na agad ako kasi nag-offer agad sila ng guidance at leadership,” shared Pre after UP’s 99–106 loss to De La Salle University in the Playtime Cares 18th Filoil Preseason Cup on Saturday afternoon at the Playtime Filoil Centre.
“Sa una, mahirap pero kailangan ko mag-adjust at nakakapag-adjust na ako mabuti. Masaya ako na nakakasama ko yung mga kuya ko dito at tuloy-tuloy pa rin yung improvement ko at growth ko here… Sabi nga nila kuya Harold [Alarcon], nandiyan lang yung pressure at i-handle mo lang ng maayos. Nandito lang kami lagi para gabayan ka, ganon sinabi niya.”
With the encouragement from his more seasoned teammates, Pre is now embracing the challenge of adapting to the system of head coach Goldwin Monteverde — something he got a real taste of in his UP debut last Tuesday.
In his first game wearing maroon, Pre showed flashes of his potential. He finished with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting along with five rebounds in UP’s 91–76 victory over NCAA champion Mapua University in the 2025 Pinoyliga Collegiate Cup.
The 6-foot-3 forward — making history as the first UAAP Rookie of the Year to transfer to another UAAP school — knows there’s plenty of work to be done. But he’s using this residency year to make sure he’s ready to contribute right from the moment he’s eligible for UAAP Season 89.
“Excited pa ako lalo sa kung ano matututunan ko sa kanila at especially next year. Rine-ready ko yung sarili ko sa residency kasi gusto ko makatulong sa kanila and sa team, especially sa magiging improvement,” said Pre.
“Nakapaglaro na at masaya na ako na nakapaglaro na ako for UP, pero marami pang need i-improve pa rin.”
#WATCH: SO FAR, SO GOOD#UAAPSeason87 Rookie of the Year Veejay Pre is loving the vibes in UP so far—with his “kuyas” guiding the way, the transition’s been smooth sailing
@ErnestTuazon /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/sIj6z7tOXd
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) May 31, 2025
