UP Fighting Maroons joins Chinese Taipei tourney in preparation for #UAAPSeason87

The University of the Philippines men’s basketball team (MBT) is gearing up for its UAAP Season 87 campaign by competing against top teams from Chinese Taipei and Thailand. The Fighting Maroons have already arrived in Keelung City to participate in the 2024 Interleague Play, which runs from August 24 to 31 at the Keelung Gymnasium.

Following back-to-back runner-up finishes, State U aims to secure a championship with key players like JD Cagulangan, Harold Alarcon, and Season 86 Rookie of the Year Francis Lopez leading the charge. They are joined by Filipino-Americans Quentin Millora-Brown, Gani Stevens, and Jacob Bayla, along with Nigerian student-athlete Dikachi Udodo.

Head coach Goldwin Monteverde acknowledges the high expectations but emphasizes the team’s focus on continuous improvement. “We are aware of the expectations, and we welcome them, but our main goal has always been to improve with each game,” he said.

Before their Season 87 opener on September 7 at the Araneta Coliseum, UP MBT will face challenges from Thailand’s Bangkok University and several teams from Chinese Taipei, including the U22 Elite Team, the Asian University Basketball Championship Representative Team, Bank of Taiwan, Changhua BLL, Taiwan Beer, and TPBL.

The Fighting Maroons will return home on August 31, wrapping up their third overseas preseason trip, which also included training camps in Serbia and Korea. After a 36-year championship drought in Season 84, State U has secured two consecutive silver medals.