The collegiate men's and women's tournaments began on October 1, 2022.[1][2] The Ateneo Blue Eagles reclaimed the men's title from their Finals opponents UP Fighting Maroons. The NU Lady Bulldogs 108-game winning streak was snapped in the elimination round by the De La Salle Lady Archers, but NU still won in the Finals against La Salle to win their 7th consecutive title.
The high school boys' tournament began on January 15, 2023, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.[3][4] The FEU Diliman Baby Tamaraws defeated the Adamson Baby Falcons for their ninth title.
In cases where a team won all elimination round games, the UAAP has removed the twice-to-beat advantage for the second-seeded team in the second round of the stepladder semifinals.[5]
Fr. Aldrin Suan, UAAP president, said that the league reverted to its pre-pandemic Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday schedule.[6]
The league also included a "head coaches' challenge" based on the FIBA challenge system. This gives each team one challenge per game to review questionable calls by the officials.[7]
Dickie Bachmann, former Alaska Aces governor in the Philippine Basketball Association, was appointed as the UAAP basketball commissioner for this season. Bachmann's term as basketball commissioner was supposed to last until the league's 86th season[8] but he foregone the position as he was appointed as the new Philippine Sports Commission chairman.[9][10]Ronnie Magsanoc was initially named commissioner to replace Bachmann.[11] Xaxy Nunag was eventually named Bachmann's permanent replacement.[12]
University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS)
Junior Fighting Maroons
University of Santo Tomas Senior High School (UST)
Tiger Cubs
Name changes
Ateneo Lady Eagles and Ateneo Blue Eaglets: On May 5, 2022, Ateneo announced that all of its UAAP teams, regardless of gender, sport or division will now be called the "Blue Eagles".[13]
For Wednesday quadrupleheaders, the women's tournament will play at the Quadricentennial Pavilion in UST's Manila campus; on all other game days, the women's teams will play on the same venue and day as their corresponding men's team.[19]
For the boys' tournament, the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan was scheduled to host all but one gamedays, with the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila hosting one gameday.[20] Eventually, Paco Arena, also in Manila, hosted several elimination round gamedays.[21]
Each team has a 20-player roster, of which four are reserves. Only one foreigner, an import, or foreign student-athlete (FSA) as called by the UAAP. can be on the active roster.
Source: UAAP on Livestats Legend: Blue = left column team win; Red = top row team win. Matches with lighter background shading were decided after overtime.
Postponed games:
October 29 men's games (UST vs. La Salle, Ateneo vs. Adamson) were postponed due to Tropical Storm Paeng.[26]
Fourth seed playoff
La Salle and Adamson finished the elimination round tied for fourth. This was a one-game playoff to determine the No. 4 seed.[27]
Ateneo and UP had the twice-to-beat advantage which means they have to win only once, and their opponents twice in the semifinals to advance to the Finals.[28]
(1) Ateneo vs. (4) Adamson
The Ateneo Blue Eagles qualified for their eighth consecutive Final Four appearance, and their sixth consecutive tournament with the twice-to-beat advantage – the longest active streak in the Final Four era of UAAP men's basketball.[29] Adamson returns to the Final Four for the first time since 2018.[30]
This was the first meeting between UP and NU in the semifinals in UAAP men's basketball history. UP was in its fourth straight playoffs appearance, and its third consecutive tournament with the twice-to-beat advantage.[31] The NU Bulldogs returned to the semifinals for the first time since 2015 after missing out the past 5 seasons.[32]
This was the second consecutive (and third overall) Battle of Katipunan finals. For the first time in the Final Four era of UAAP men's basketball, Ateneo clinched their sixth consecutive finals appearance – the school's longest overall championship appearance streak in UAAP men's basketball.[33] UP clinched their second consecutive finals appearance.[34]
The NU Lady Bulldogs' 108-game winning streak – the longest by any sporting team in UAAP history – was snapped by the De La Salle Lady Archers on November 24, when the Lady Archers won in overtime, 61–57. NU's last defeat was in the 2013 Finals also against La Salle.[48]
Source: UAAP on Livestats Legend: Blue = left column team win; Red = top row team win. Matches with lighter background shading were decided after overtime.
NU[49] and La Salle[50] have the twice-to-beat advantage, which means they have to win only once, and their opponents twice in the semifinals to advance to the Finals.
(1) NU vs. (4) Ateneo
The NU Lady Bulldogs have qualified for the Final Four anew.[51] Their second round loss to La Salle meant that the Final Four will be played in the usual format for first time since 2013.[52] The Ateneo Blue Eagles booked the last ticket to the Final Four. This was their first playoff appearance since 2015.[53]
The Finals was a best-of-three series. NU qualified for its eighth consecutive Finals.[55] La Salle, meanwhile, enters the Finals for the first time since UAAP Season 79.[56]
The juniors' tournament will also be a qualifying tournament for the 2023 National Basketball Training Center (NBTC) championship, with the champions qualifying.[59] However, with the UAAP championship series being held in the same week as the NBTC championship, the NBTC decided to give the berths given to the UAAP to its losing semifinalists.[60]
Source: UAAP on Livestats Legend: Blue = left column team win; Red = top row team win. Matches with lighter background shading were decided after overtime.
Adamson and FEU have the twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals, They only need to win once while their opponents twice in order to qualify in the Finals.
(1) Adamson vs. (4) UST
Adamson qualified for the Final Four after winning in its tenth game.[61] UST clinched its semifinal berth by winning in its penultimate game.[62] The Baby Falcons clinched the twice-to-beat advantage by winning its elimination round finale against the Tiger Cubs.[63]
Adamson qualified for its first Finals berth in 20 years.[65] FEU Diliman made it to the Finals for the second consecutive tournament (lost to NSNU in 2019).[66]
