The UAAP Season 87 basketball tournaments were the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) basketball tournaments for the 2024âÂÂ25 school year. University of the Philippines Diliman were the hosts.
In the elimination round of the men's tournament, the De La Salle Green Archers finished first, with the UP Fighting Maroons second. The UST Growling Tigers finished third, while the Adamson Soaring Falcons eliminated the UE Red Warriors in the 4th seed playoff. Both UP and La Salle won the semifinals match-ups over Adamson and UST, respectively, marking their second overall head-to-head UAAP Finals matchup. For the fourth consecutive season, the men's basketball finals series reached a do-or-die third game - the longest such streak so far for the tournament in UAAP Final Four history. UP defeated La Salle to win their 4th men's championship.
In the women's tournament, the NU Lady Bulldogs advanced to the finals outright after winning all elimination round games. The Adamson Lady Falcons defeated the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the first round of the stepladder. UST defeated Adamson on the next round, setting up a rematch from last year's finals with NU. The series lasted three full games, with NU defeating UST to win their 8th women's championship.
In the junior high school tournament, the UE Junior Warriors finished first, followed by the FEU Diliman Baby Tamaraws; they have the twice-to-beat advantage against the NUNS Bullpups and the UST Tiger Cubs, respectively. While UE defeated NUNS, UST upset FEU Diliman in the semifinals. The Junior Warriors then defeated the Tiger Cubs to win the first junior high school championship, and first basketball championship for UE since 1985.
In the boys' tournament, the UST Tiger Cubs won the title against the NUNS Bullpups. The Bullpups finished first and had won the first 13 elimination round games, but lost the last game against UST, who had then finished second. NUNS and UST defeated Adamson and FEU Diliman respectively in the semifinals, then split the first two games in the finals. The Tiger Cubs won the deciding game in overtime.
The UST Junior Tigresses finished undefeated in the girls' tournament, and faced the second seeded NUNS Lady Bullpups. UST won the championship undefeated.
The UAAP continued to use the UAAP Final Four format.
The UAAP held championships in the college division and the junior high school tournament on the first semester of the academic year, while the boys' and girls' championships were held in the second semester.
Xavy Nunag was named basketball commissioner for the third consecutive year. Assisting him are his deputies Mariana Lopa and Marvin Bienvenida who will supervise the womenâÂÂs and high school basketball tournaments, respectively. The UAAP also announced the return of the girls' tournament, last played in 2020.
Teams customarily assigned to wear light jerseys during certain games would be allowed to wear dark uniforms instead as long as Commissioner's Office permits. This privilege was not exercised last Season 86 when this change was introduced. The Green Archers is set to be the first team to take advantage of the new rule in their scheduled opening game against Ateneo.
Basketball is a mandatory event in the UAAP, where all 8 universities are required to field in teams in the men's tournament.
The girls' tournament is a demonstration sport last held in UAAP Season 82 (2020), and is not mandatory.
The opening ceremonies and opening day men's doubleheader shall be held at Araneta Coliseum. Subsequent men's, women's and junior high school first round games are scheduled to be held there, and in the SM Mall of Asia Arena, mostly in sextupleheaders. In game days where only the men's teams are to play in either arena, the women's and junior high school games are held in the Adamson University gym on the same day.
For the second round, there are 5 games per day held in one venue, with the Filoil EcoOil Centre and the Quadricentennial Pavilion hosting games. The affected women's and junior high school games will be done after the men's elimination round concludes, and will be held at the Filoil EcoOil Centre. This was done to have earlier start times for men's games. For the postponed games due to Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami), it was included in the games that will be held at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
For senior high school basketball, all first round games were held at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Each team has a 16-player roster. Only one "foreign student-athlete", non-Filipinos who are otherwise known as "imports" elsewhere, is allowed to be on the active roster.
The men's tournament started on September 7, 2024, featuring a Battle of Katipunan game between the Ateneo Blue Eagles and the UP Fighting Maroons in the Araneta Coliseum.
Due to the University of Santo Tomas Entrance Test being held on the same day, the UAAP postponed the October 20 games hosted by the Quadricentennial Pavilion to November 3.
The UAAP postponed the October 23 games due to inclement weather caused by Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami). The postponed games were rescheduled to November 20 and 23.
<section begin="Men's standings" /> <section end="Men's standings" />
Results on top and to the right of the grey cells are for first-round games; those to the bottom and to the left of it are second-round games.
Adamson and UE finished the elimination round tied for fourth. This is a one-game playoff to determine the #4 seed. This is Adamson's third consecutive fourth seed playoff.
<section begin="Men's playoffs" /><section end="Men's playoffs" />
The top two seeded teams after the elimination round have the twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals, where they have to be beaten twice, while their opponents only once, to progress.
La Salle became the first team to clinch a semifinals berth with their win against Adamson. La Salle then clinched the twice-to-beat advantage with FEU's win over UE. The Green Archers then locked the #1 seed in a win against UP. Adamson clinched the #4 seed after winning their fourth seed playoff against UE. These two teams last met in the semis in 2017 where La Salle won in one game.
UP was the second team to clinch a semifinals berth, their sixth consecutive, after a win against Adamson. They then settled on the #2 seed and the twice-to-beat advantage that comes with it, on their loss against La Salle. UST clinched the #3 seed and its first Final Four appearance since 2019 after their win against Adamson. The match-up is a rematch of the 2019 series where lower-seeded UST won in two games.
The finals is a best-of-three playoff. The UP Fighting Maroons advances to its fourth consecutive finals, while the De La Salle Green Archers clinched their second consecutive finals berth. This is a rematch of the UAAP Season 86 finals where La Salle won.
Game 3 was originally scheduled on December 14 at the Araneta Coliseum, coincidentally on the same day and venue as Game 3 (if necessary) of NCAA Season 100. The UAAP then rescheduled Game 3 to December 15.
The award winners were announced prior to game 2 of the finals, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. <section begin="Men's awards" />
The Collegiate Press Corps names a player of the week throughout the season.
La Salle's Kevin Quiambao emerged as the top player in the statistical points race, the basis of determining the individual awards including most valuable player. Quiambao was also the scoring champion.
The following were disciplined throughout the course of the season:
The women's tournament started on September 8, 2024 at the Araneta Coliseum, with defending champions UST winning against UE.
The UE Lady Warriors ended their 40-game losing streak stretching back to UAAP Season 82 (2019) in their first round win against La Salle.
<section begin="Women's standings" /> <section end="Women's standings" />
Results on top and to the right of the grey cells are for first-round games; those to the bottom and to the left of it are second-round games.
<section begin="Women's playoffs" />*Overtime<section end="Women's playoffs" />
After winning their first 12 games, the NU Lady Bulldogs clinched the top seed. UST, Adamson, and Ateneo round-up the teams that qualified to the playoffs. As the NU Lady Bulldogs won all elimination round games, received a bye up to the finals, with the next three teams figuring in a stepladder single-elimination tournament.
Adamson and Ateneo will face in the first round of the stepladder.
UST finished the elimination round at second and will await the winner of the first round.
The finals is a best-of-three playoff.
The NU Lady Bulldogs clinched their tenth consecutive finals appearance, and the first elimination round sweep since UAAP Season 82 (2019). UST emerged out of the stepladder semifinals as the winner, qualifying to its third finals in four seasons. This is a finals rematch from last season where the Tigresses won.
Game 3 was originally scheduled on December 14 at the Araneta Coliseum, coincidentally on the same day and venue as Game 3 (if necessary) of NCAA Season 100. The UAAP then rescheduled Game 3 to December 15.
The awards were handed out prior to Game 2 of the Finals at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. <section begin="Women's awards" />
The College Press Corps names a player of the week throughout the season.
Opening day was on January 19, 2025, with FEU Diliman defeating defending champions Adamson.
<section begin="Boys' standings" /> <section end="Boys' standings" />
Results on top and to the right of the grey cells are for first-round games; those to the bottom and to the left of it are second-round games.
<section begin="Boys' playoffs" />*Overtime<section end="Boys' playoffs" />
UST denied NUNS an unbeaten elimination round record, allowing for the usage of the regular Final Four format. NUNS and UST will have the twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals against FEU Diliman and Adamson, respectively.
The winners of the semifinals meet in the best-of-three Finals.
UST qualified to their first finals since UAAP Season 73 (2010), while previous season's defeated finalist NUNS eliminated defending champions Adamson.
The awards were handed out prior to Game 2 of the Finals at the Filoil Flying V Arena. <section begin="Boys' awards" />
This is the first girls' tournament since UAAP Season 82 (2020). NUNS is debuting their girls' team this season, while 2020's co-champions Adamson are not participating.
Opening day was on January 23, 2025, with NUNS defeating Ateneo by 94 points.
<section begin="Girls' standings" /> <section end="Girls' standings" />
Results on top and to the right of the grey cells are for first-round games; those to the bottom and to the left of it are second-round games.
UST and NUNS qualified to the best-of-three Finals after finishing in the top two places after the elimination round.
UST completed a perfect season, winning all 6 elimination round games, and sweeping the Finals 2âÂÂ0.
The awards were handed out prior to Game 2 of the Finals at the Filoil Flying V Arena. <section begin="Girls' awards" />
The junior high school tournament was held alongside the collegiate tournaments in the first semester. The tournament started on September 8, 2024 at the Adamson Gym.
The UAAP postponed October 23 games due to inclement weather caused by Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami). The UAAP further postponed November 17 games due to Super Typhoon Pepito (Man-yi).
<section begin="Junior high school standings" /> <section end="Junior high school standings" />
Results on top and to the right of the grey cells are for first-round games; those to the bottom and to the left of it are second-round games.
<section begin="JHS playoffs" /><section end="JHS playoffs" />
The top two seeded teams after the elimination round have the twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals, where they have to be beaten twice, while their opponents only once.
UE clinched the first playoff berth after their win against NUNS. UE then clinched the #1 seed with a win against Adamson. The NUNS Bullpups defeat of DLSZ and UST's win over Ateneo eliminated the defeated teams and clinched qualification for NUNS as the #4 seed.
FEU DIliman clinched a semifinal berth after winning against NUNS. FEU's second round win over UE denied the Junior Warriors winning all elimination round games, and guaranteed that the playoffs will be on the traditional final four format. FEU clinched the twice-to-beat advantage in their win against UPIS. UST's win over DLSZ clinched their semifinal appearance, and had all UST basketball teams participating the first semester qualify to the playoffs.
The finals is a best-of-three playoff. The UE Junior Warriors defeated the NUNS Bullpups to advance to the finals, while UST defeated twice-to-beat FEU Diliman to advance.
The awards were handed out prior to Game 2 of the Finals at the Araneta Coliseum. <section begin="JHS awards" />
In case of a tie, the team with the higher position in any tournament is ranked higher. If both are still tied, they are listed by alphabetical order.
How rankings are determined: