The basketball tournaments of NCAA Season 85 refers to the basketball events of the Philippine National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s 2009–10 season. This is the first season without the PCU Dolphins who have taken an indefinite leave of absence after several of their juniors' division players were found to have used falsified documents to enter the school. Also, three guest teams will take part in the basketball events with all three eligible to win championships.
The games began on June 27 at the Araneta Coliseum with an opening ceremony led by San Beda, with a keynote speech by United States Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney, culminating with a tripleheader with season host San Beda Red Lions routing the Mapua Cardinals 82–55 in the opening game. The four-time juniors champion San Sebastian Staglets will also begin their title defense, with a majority of the games being held at the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
In the men's division, the San Sebastian Stags had an all-time league-best 15-game winning streak, ending on their second-round game against the Letran Knights. The Stags ended the elimination round tied with the San Beda Red Lions for first, who beat them in the elimination round finale. The Red Lions defeated the Stags in the playoff for the #1 seed, and they were beaten anew by the third seed JRU Heavy Bombers in the first game of the semifinals. The Stags beat the Heavy Bombers in Game 2 to meet the Red Lions in the Finals who had previously beaten the Knights in their own semifinals. Game 1 of the Finals went into two overtimes, with the Stags eking out a 4-point triumph. The Red Lions, who led for majority of the game, faltered in the fourth quarter of Game 2 to allow the Stags to clinch their first title since 2002. Jimbo Aquino of San Sebastian was named Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) in his final playing year.
In the juniors' division, the Letran Squires had a 17-game winning streak, only for them to be beaten by the San Beda Red Cubs in the last game of the elimination round. The Red Cubs blew out the Squires in the playoff for #1, but both teams did not need their twice-to-beat advantage to eliminate the JRU Light Bombers and the San Sebastian Staglets respectively in the semifinals. In Game 1 of the Finals, San Beda blew out Letran for the second game in a row, but the Squires outlasted the Red Cubs in Game 2 via a late three-pointer to force Game 3. In the deciding game, San Beda pulled away late in the fourth quarter after Letran cut down the 15-point lead to two points to give retiring coach Ato Badolato his 15th juniors' championship. The Squires suffered their third consecutive Finals defeat; they previously lost twice to the Staglets prior losing to the Red Cubs. Baser Amer was awarded the Finals MVP award.
JRU players John Wilson and Louie Vigil were awarded Most Valuable Player honors for the men's and juniors' divisions respectively. American Sudan Daniel and Baser Amer both from San Beda were named men's and juniors' Rookies of the Year.
Men's tournament
Teams TeamCollegeCoachAUF Great DanesAngeles University Foundation (AUF) Eric GasconArellano ChiefsArellano University (AU) Junjie AblanLetran KnightsColegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL) Louie AlasBenilde BlazersDe La Salle–College of Saint Benilde (CSB) Richard del RosarioEAC GeneralsEmilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) Nomar IslaJRU Heavy BombersJosé Rizal University (JRU) Ariel VanguardiaMapúa CardinalsMapúa Institute of Technology (MIT) Chito VictoleroSan Beda Red LionsSan Beda College (SBC) Frankie LimSan Sebastian StagsSan Sebastian College – Recoletos (SSC-R) Ato AgustinPerpetual AltasUniversity of Perpetual Help System DALTA (UPHSD) Boris Aldeguer
Changes from last season Guest teams:
AUF Great Danes Arellano Chiefs EAC Generals
Departed team:
PCU Dolphins (took an indefinite leave of absence)
Preseason The league announced that the games will be held at the Filoil Flying V Arena for most games and the Araneta Coliseum for bigger games, while the other sports will be held at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and the PhilSports Complex via a partnership with the Philippine Sports Commission. The NCAA originally wanted to play in the Rizal Memorial Coliseum "But it's still under repair so maybe next year," management committee chairman Jose Mari Lacson of San Beda College said.
Former UST Growling Tigers head coach Aric del Rosario was appointed as the league commissioner who immediately warning players not to commit dangerous fouls, and the more strict enforcement of the handcheck foul. Another new rule is that there would now be two people on the bench allowed to stand up instead of only one previously; del Rosario said that the head coach and his head assistant are now allowed to stand up. If a third person is caught standing up, a warning will be issued, and on the second violation, a technical foul will be charged on the team.
Furthermore, a new system of filing game protests concerning results, eligibility of players and the like will be used: No more complaints will be heard against a team that has already won the championship. A team must file a protest within 48 hours to contest the result of a match along with a bond of P5,000 which must be submitted to the management committee of the league. On eligibility complaints, a team must submit its written complaint the day after the first round of eliminations. The complaint will require a bond of P10,000.
+Coaching changesTeam Old coach Reason New coachSan Sebastian Stags Jorge Gallent Resignation Ato AgustinBenilde Blazers Gee Abanilla On loan to the national team Richard del RosarioMapua Cardinals Leo Isaac* Resignation Chito VictoleroPerpetual Altas Bai Cristobal Mutual consent Boris AldeguerArellano Chiefs Leo Isaac* Elevated as athletic director Junjie Ablan Prior to Arellano's admission as a guest team, Isaac was head coach for both Mapua and Arellano since NCAA and NCRAA seasons are held at different times of the year.
Elimination round
Team standings
Match-up results
Scores
First round
June–July
With a total of ten teams this season, the traditional quadruple–header at the Araneta Coliseum would not be held but instead the opening Saturday would consist of three games: in the traditional champion vs. host opening game, season host and defending champion San Beda blew out the 2008 hosts Mapua 85–52, JRU overcame a late surge by Letran by winning 69–66, and San Sebastian defeated UPHSD in the nightcap, 76–64.
With the Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan hosting the rest of the elimination round in the second day, CSB overcame AUF's late surge, and Arellano blew out fellow hosts EAC. In a day of upsets, San Sebastian gave San Beda its worst start in their last four seasons, while guests Arellano defeated Letran anew, placing the Knights at the bottom of the standings. JRU and Benilde remained unbeaten, winning against UPHSD and Mapua respectively to join Arellano and San Sebastian at the top of the standings with a 2–0 slate at the end of the first week of competition.
San Beda dealt Arellano their first loss at the start of week 2, with the Great Danes winning their first game against fellow guest school EAC. In a battle of winless teams, Letran rallied from behind, but this time won against UPHSD, and in the battle of undefeated teams, San Sebastian pulled away at the second half to beat CSB. In Friday's blowout games, Mapua notched their first win against AUF, and JRU kept up with San Sebastian with a trashing of EAC.
In week three, San Beda blew out their opponents: a 20–point drubbing of Benilde, and a 33–point massacre of UPHSD. JRU and San Sebastian continued their unbeaten runs with double–digit wins over guest teams Arellano and EAC respectively. The other guest team, AUF, also suffered a double–digit loss against UPHSD, while Letran won the Battle of Intramuros emphatically with a 22–point blowout against Mapua.
San Sebastian and JRU continued their unbeaten runs; the Stags defeated the Chiefs, and the Heavy Bombers blowing out the Great Danes. The Generals clinched their first win in the league with a victory over Mapua, while the Blazers escaped with a one–point win over the Altas. Prior to the CSB-UPHSD game, San Beda and Letran faced off with the Red Lions winning by five points, but that is before Letran's Kris Alas pushed Sudan Daniel, that started a free-for-all; Letran's Jaypee Belencion confronted fans at the stands, and Kevin's father Louie Alas, Letran's head coach, had to shield his wife from debris being pelted on the court.
In the end, Kris Alas and Belencion were suspended, the former by one game and the latter by three games, while Louie Alas, his brother and assistant coach of Letran Mel, his son Keven, and Daniels were given stern warnings by the Management Committee (MANCOM).
The CSB vs. EAC game would devolve into another physical game with several Blazers figuring in a bench-clearing incident; despite CSB's Jeff Morial having 32 points, the Generals notched another win, marking their first winning streak in the NCAA. Meanwhile, San Sebastian extended their winning streak to six with another blowout win, this time against AUF, but not before AUF's Chuck Gomez threw a punch to the opponent. As a result, the MANCOM suspended CSB's Chuck Dalanon and Jan Tan, and Gomez for one game.
JRU matched San Sebastian with a win against Mapua, while Letran rebounded with a win against AUF. In a game that needed three overtimes to finish, CSB thwarted off Arellano by ten points, after Morial sank in 31 points, and hitting crucial three–pointers. Morial converted two three-pointers in the end of regulation to force the first overtime, then another to extend the game into the third overtime, and the last putting away the Chiefs for good. Despite scoring 29 points, mostly in the first half, AU's Gio Ciriacruz fouled out late in the fourth quarter, which started disqualifications of five other Chiefs. Meanwhile, San Beda held off EAC to keep pace with the Stags and the Heavy Bombers at the top.
August In a meeting of the two 6–0 teams, the Stags won emphatically over JRU, although the Bombers rebounded with a win over CSB later in the week. Perpetual Help won against Mapua, but before losing to the Chiefs, while San Beda and Letran held off separate opponents, with the Knights needing an extra period to ward off the Generals.
San Beda and JRU ended their first round with a rematch of last year's Finals series in which the Red Lions won. Although both teams sported 7–1 cards, the Heavy Bombers faltered for the second consecutive big game anew, losing the Red Lions to close out their first round campaign on a losing note. Meanwhile, San Sebastian was taken by Mapua to the limit before losing by three points, to set up an anticipated game against arch rival Letran at the first round finale. The Cardinals themselves ended the first round on a 6-game losing streak, after falling to the Arellano Chiefs who closed out with their own 4-game winning streak; prior to their Mapua win, the Chiefs also won against cellar-dweller AUF. Perpetual Help gave EAC their second 4-game losing streak with an 86–79 win.
In the first round finale, Letran led for majority of the game, even by as much as ten at halftime, before the Stags staged a third quarter rally to lead by double digits. The Knights clawed through, and had a chance to extend the game into overtime, but Kevin Alas' off-balanced three-pointer rattled in and out of the rim as time expired to give San Sebastian their first first round sweep since their 1997 championship run.
Second round
August