After two consecutive runner-up finishes in the UAAP Men’s Basketball Tournament, the University of the Philippines Men’s Basketball Team (UP MBT) reloaded its arsenal with new guns to bolster their redemption bid for the upcoming Season 87.
Now missing the presence of former UAAP MVP Malick Diouf and Season 86 team captain CJ Cansino, a total of five standouts will suit up for the Fighting Maroons this season.
Quentin Millora-Brown
The UP MBT might have saved the best for the last of its recruitment spree after securing the commitment of the highly-touted prospect Quentin Millora-Brown from Lorton, Virginia.
Announcing his late commitment to the team on July 2, the agile Filipino-American big man put the Fighting Maroons on new heights as he is set to fill the massive shoes of Diouf.
Standing at six-foot-ten, Millora-Brown began his US NCAA Division 1 journey with Rice University before spending three years with Vanderbilt University.
Also known as ‘QMB’, the upcoming one-and-done UP center posted 11.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.5 blocks in 32.4 minutes of game action to cap his last season in the States with the South Carolina-based Citadel Bulldogs.
He tallied eight points and 11 rebounds during his UP debut game at the recently-concluded 2024 InterLeague Play in Taiwan, where the Fighting Maroons swept the international tournament to seize the title.
Dikachi Ududo
Another towering presence is set to add size to UP’s already formidable frontline after the addition of Nigerian big Dikachi Ududo.
A product of Guang Ming College, State U’s newest foreign student-athlete notched 9.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per contest in their 17th FilOil-EcoOil ECJ Preseason Cup title run last July.
In the 2023 edition of the FilOil Preseason Tournament, the six-foot-nine high-energy big stamped a solid average of 21.5 markers and grabbed 10 boards.
Gani Stevens
Hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, another Filipino-American in Gani Stevens will also be joining the Fighting Maroons for UAAP Season 87.
Apart from Millora-Brown and Ududo, the wide-bodied six-foot-seven center continues to strengthen a crowded frontcourt that features the likes of Francis Lopez, Sean Alter, Aldous Torculas, Mark Belmonte and Seven Gagate.
Finally settling at Diliman after a brief preseason stint with the UST Growling Tigers and a one-year run with the UE Red Warriors in 2022, the well-traveled Stevens produced 3.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in the 2024 FilOil Cup, while providing solid defense on the court.
Meanwhile, Stevens averaged 9.4 markers, 6.3 boards and a dime with his lone UAAP year with UE.
Denzil Walker
Six-foot-four athletic winger Denzil Walker from Central Lakes College will also boost Goldwin Monteverde’s backcourt.
A homegrown Minnesotan like Stevens, the 21-year-old finished his freshman year with Central Lakes College with an average of 10.5 points, 3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 22 games.
The Filipino-American, who has Pangasinense blood, had his breakout game in the PinoyLiga Collegiate Cup Season 3 last April 13 after posting 14 points in a win against the SSC-R Golden Stags.
Jacob Bayla
One of the Philippines’ brightest young stars, Gilas Pilipinas Youth member Jacob Bayla, will wear another ‘Philippines’ on his jersey, but this time with a shade of maroon.
The 18-year-old cager from Valley Christian High School in California, who shares quite an experience on his resume, played a pivotal role for the Fil-Am Nation Select crew that completed a perfect run in the 2024 NBTC National Finals, where he contributed 11.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in the annual tournament.
Bayla also played in the 2022 FIBA U16 Asian Championship. The versatile wing averaged 8.2 markers and 4.8 dimes in the tournament.
The UP Fighting Maroons went on an undefeated preseason tournament run in the FilOil Preseason Cup, PinoyLiga Preseason Cup and the Taiwanese InterLeague Play.
Maroons head coach Goldwin Monteverde acknowledges in an interview with Spin.ph the capacity of these recruits to fulfill their respective roles as the players “really look [sharp] and they’re getting along really good.”
“[Gani Stevens and Seven Gagate] are very committed na ma-fill ‘yung (big man) role na ‘yun. Even sa mga FSA na nakarating sa’min, it’s a big role to fill but syempre, naniniwala naman tayo through hard work mapupuno naman nila ‘yun.” he added.
Seeking to bring the crown back to Diliman, the UP MBT will open UAAP Season 87 with a showdown against their Katipunan rivals Ateneo Blue Eagles on Sept. 7 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
