The 2026 UST Growling Tigers men's basketball team is representing the University of Santo Tomas in the ongoing 89th season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines. The men's basketball tournament for the academic year 2026–27 began on September 13, 2026, and the host school for the season is Far Eastern University.
Roster The roster size has been updated to 17 players this season, with a second foreign student-athlete serving as an alternate and cannot be fielded together with the original FSA on the same play date.
The Growling Tigers presented 18 players for the UAAP media day photo shoot on September 8, 2026. The roster was finalized on September 12, with Filipino American point guard Enzo Abellar getting cut from the official lineup.
Depth chart
Roster changes
The Growling Tigers have entered the post-Nic Cabañero era. Their former team captain who was a two-time Mythical team member and a three-time scoring champion has used up his five-year playing eligibility, leaving their veteran holdovers to lead the charge this season. Nigerian big man Collins Akowe, last year's Rookie of the Year and Mythical team awardee is set to team up with the scoring trio of Mark Llemit, Amiel Acido, and Gelo Crisostomo. Llemit succeeded Cabañero as team captain, with Crisostomo serving as co-captain.
The official lineup for UST's 2026 campaign consists of nine holdovers, three rookies, two transferees, two one-and-dones, and an alternate foreign student-athlete. Mur Alao, Kirk Cañete, and Filipino American Donovan Sevilla are among the newcomers tasked to assume point guard duties for the team to replace the already-graduated Forthsky Padrigao and Kyle Paranada. The backcourt duo, considered two of the best point guards in Season 85 combined for nearly half of the team's average of 16.7 assists from the past two seasons.
Departures SG 1 Leland Reuben Estacio 6' 2" 4th Franklin High School GraduatedPG 2 Bevir Ivanne Calum 5' 11" 3rd St. Louis School–Don Bosco Relegated to Team BPG 3 Kyle Brandon Paranada 5' 9" 4th Montgomery High School GraduatedSF 9 Nicael Dominie Cabañero 6' 3" 5th University of Santo Tomas GraduatedPG 11 Rence Keith Sean Padrigao 5' 11" 4th Ateneo de Manila GraduatedPF 13 Lorenzo Bangco 6' 4" 1st University of the East Relegated to Team BC 33 Joachim Eddie Laure 6' 5" 4th National University Nazareth School Transferred to University of Perpetual Help
Acquisitions PG 0 Kirk Nuhlan Cañete 5' 10" 1st University of Santo Tomas RookiePG 4 Donovan Tyler Sevilla 6' 0" 5th Dougherty Valley High School Transferred from Sonoma State UniversityPG 11 Prince Ray Alao 6' 1" 1st San Beda University–Rizal Transferred from De La Salle UniversitySF 15 Landyn Keola Jumawan 6' 4" 5th Atascocita High School Transferred from Northwestern State UniversityC 24 Kristian Michael Porter 6' 5" 2nd Ateneo de Manila Transferred from Ateneo de Manila UniversityPF 30 Charles Francis Esteban 6' 4" 1st University of Santo Tomas RookieC 32 Peter Chukwudi Osang 6' 7" 1st Ikorodu Foreign student-athletePG 77 Andrew Xavier Chio 6' 0" 1st Xavier School Rookie
Recruiting class Kristian Porter C 6' 5" Ateneo de Manila Cebu City 8 Jun 2025 2024 NBTC Top 24 rank: 8 (All-Star game participant with Team Heart)2024 SLAM Rising Stars Classic participant (with Team Hype)2023 NBTC Top 24 rank: 6 (National Finals #22 seed, Division 2 semifinalist with Ateneo; All-Star game participant with Team Hustle)2023 SLAM Rising Stars Classic participant (with Team Hype)Kirk Cañete PG 5' 10" University of Santo Tomas Malaybalay 14 Apr 2026 2026 NBTC Top 24 rank: 8 (National Finals #28 seed, Division 1 finalist with UST; All-Star game participant with Team Heart)2025 NBTC Top 24 rank: N/A (National Finals #3 seed, Division 1 semifinalist with UST)Charles Esteban PF 6' 4" University of Santo Tomas Bacoor 14 Apr 2026 2026 NBTC Top 24 rank: N/A (National Finals #28 seed, Division 1 finalist with UST)2025 NBTC Top 24 rank: N/A (National Finals #3 seed, Division 1 semifinalist with UST)Mur Alao PG 6' 1" San Beda University–Rizal Antipolo 1 Oct 2024 2022 SLAM Rising Stars Classic participant (with Team Prep)
Schedule and results Preseason tournaments The NSAC games were televised on One Sports, One Sports+, and Solar Sports, and were livestreamed through the YouTube channel and Facebook page of AsiaBasket, as well as on the Pilipinas Live app. The Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup games were livestreamed on the Facebook pages of Filoil EcoOil Sports and Smart Sports, and Filoil EcoOil Sports' YouTube channel.
UAAP games
Elimination games are played in a double round-robin format. All of UST's games are televised on One Sports and the UAAP Varsity Channel, and livestreamed through the YouTube channel of One Sports and the Cignal Play app.
UAAP statistics Amiel Acido 4 1 27.1 18 41 43.9 7 18 38.9 21 22 95.5 6.0 4.3 0.8 0.0 2.3 16.0 Collins Akowe 4 4 30.4 26 52 50.0 1 2 50.0 11 20 55.0 13.5 2.0 0.0 2.0 4.3 16.0 Mark Llemit 4 4 27.8 19 43 44.2 3 12 25.0 8 12 66.7 6.3 1.5 1.3 1.0 1.8 12.3 Landyn Jumawan 4 1 22.6 11 38 28.9 6 25 24.0 5 6 83.3 2.8 2.0 0.9 0.3 2.5 8.3 Koji Buenaflor 4 2 20.3 13 33 39.4 1 12 8.3 3 9 33.3 4.0 1.3 0.3 0.5 1.5 7.5 Donovan Sevilla 3 2 16.7 6 15 40.0 1 4 25.0 1 2 50.0 1.3 2.3 0.0 0.7 0.7 4.7 Ice Danting 4 1 8.4 6 14 42.9 4 9 44.4 2 3 66.7 1.5 0.5 0.3 0.0 0.5 4.5 Kirk Cañete 4 1 13.9 5 13 38.5 2 8 25.0 2 2 100.0 1.8 1.8 1.0 0.0 1.5 3.5 Charles Esteban 4 0 7.1 5 13 38.5 1 3 33.3 3 4 75.0 1.3 0.3 0.3 0.0 0.5 3.5 Andrew Chio 2 0 5.7 2 4 50.0 2 3 66.7 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 1.0 3.0 Kristian Porter 4 0 7.6 1 7 14.3 1 6 16.7 2 4 50.0 1.8 1.0 0.0 0.3 0.5 1.3 Charles Bucsit 2 1 4.6 1 3 33.3 0 2 0.0 0 0 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 Gelo Crisostomo 2 1 6.2 1 3 33.3 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 Carl Manding 4 1 4.4 1 1 100.0 0 0 0.0 1 2 50.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 Mur Alao 4 1 7.9 1 10 10.0 0 6 0.0 0 0 0.0 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.0 0.3 0.5 Jiro Sevilla 1 0 6.3 0 1 0.0 0 1 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Total 4 40.0 116 291 39.9 29 111 26.1 59 86 68.6 48.8 17.5 6.3 4.5 17.0 80.0 Opponents 4 40.0 125 283 44.2 33 116 28.4 56 77 72.7 38.0 18.8 10.3 5.3 10.8 84.8
Source: Livestats.ph
Summary of games First round UP Fighting Maroons
An 85–92 loss against the UP Fighting Maroons greeted the Growling Tigers at the start of their Season 89 campaign. The entire game had multiple lead changes with players from both teams displaying a high level of physicality. UP had threatened to break away in the first quarter after a triple by Miguel Yniguez pushed his team ahead with a six-point, 20–14 lead. UST gained momentum midway in the quarter with Ice Danting drilling in back-to-back three-pointers, followed by a basket by Koji Buenaflor to keep the Tigers within two, at 22–24 at the end of the period. Co-captain Gelo Crisostomo had an injury scare early in the game after stepping on a slippery portion of the floor while attempting to drive to the basket.
The Fighting Maroons were able to mount a ten-point, 32–22 advantage in the second period, but the Tigers rallied back with a 21–6 run as they forced turnovers and scored on fastbreaks behind the efforts of Mark Llemit, Amiel Acido, and Buenaflor to end the half with a four-point, 48–44 lead.
The Tigers had a slow start in the second half and were only able to score in spurts. They had managed to maintain a nine-point, 55–46 cushion after a Collins Akowe basket with under seven minutes left in the third period, but a series of missed attempts followed, allowing their opponents to catch up. UP's James Payosing scored on a putback from teammate Veejay Pre's missed three-point shot to spark a 15–5 run. A triple by Arvie Poyos tied the count at 60–all. Poyos and Sean Alter teamed up to seize the lead from the Tigers to end the quarter at 66–62.
The last 13 minutes of the game saw the Tigers playing catch-up as the Maroons pulled away with a nine-point, 71–62 lead. UP's Noy Remogat, shooting for only 3-of-13 in the first three quarters of the game poured eight of his total output in the last four minutes, including back-to-back triples to increase the Maroons' lead from 5 to 11 points, at 88–77. UST was only able to score four points against UP's 13 from a 25–7 run in the final stretch until the buzzer sounded.
The Maroons' defense in the second half caused the Tigers' to shoot poorly as they ended the game with only a 39.2 percent clip. UST's bench also paled in comparison with UP's depth with a 24–45 scoring disparity. The Tigers relied heavily on their starters, with Llemit, Acido, and Akowe scoring 50 of the team's total points. Akowe had a double-double of 13 points and a game high of 18 rebounds, but the team ended up getting outrebounded, 39–45.
De La Salle Green Archers
The Growling Tigers bounced back from their opening day loss by taking down reigning champions De La Salle Green Archers, 80–75 in their first round meeting. Fending off a 13-point comeback by the Archers, UST was able to hang on to their lead in the final quarter, with Acido and Akowe coming up with crucial plays to secure the win.
The Archers were able to contain Akowe at the post with Luis Pablo and Mason Amos alternating on defense, but Acido's perimeter sniping set an early pace for the Tigers. Substituting for the injured Crisostomo, Buenaflor completed a three-point play to give the Tigers an eight-point, 24–16 cushion at the end of the first quarter.
Fellow forward Charles Esteban continued the task as he scored four straight points to counter baskets made by La Salle's Jacob Cortez and JC Macalalag, while maintaining UST's eight-point lead at 28–20. Defensive stops by Cortez and former Tiger Cub Doy Dungo brought down the Tigers' lead to three, at 40–37, but Acido answered with a triple and a layup to close out the half and keep the team in command at 45–40.
La Salle was able to catch up in the third quarter, after their trapping defense forced UST to commit turnovers. Earl Abadam and Vhoris Marasigan capitalized on their transition offense, which brought the Archers to a 51–all tie with under three minutes left.
Akowe's undergoal stab against La Salle's Mo Kulang pushed UST ahead with a nine-point, 72–63 lead midway in the final period, but they soon fell prey to a 7–0 run by the Archers. Lapses in their defense sent Cortez and Pablo to the line, with the two making 7 of 8 free throw attempts and allowed them to come within two, at 70–72. Llemit was able to stop the rally after scoring on a drive against Amos' outstretched arms to extend the Tigers' lead at 74–70.
La Salle's Macalalag connected with a triple from the corner at the 1:27 mark and trimmed down UST's lead to one, at 74–73. A series of botched plays from both teams followed, with Akowe committing a crucial turnover that allowed the Archers to steal the ball. The sophomore center made up for his error by scoring a tough undergoal play against Pablo with 25 seconds remaining in the game. He next made a defensive stop against Cortez, who was side stepping for a lay-in. Acido was able to collar the rebound and was subsequently fouled by Macalalag. He sank both his penalty shots to give the Tigers a five-point, 78–73 advantage. In the ensuing play, a goaltending violation was called on Akowe after he tried to block Macalalag's layup, giving La Salle a glimmer of hope as they inched closer with a single-possession deficit at 75–78 with 9.7 seconds remaining. The Archers fouled Acido during the inbound in an attempt to stop the clock, but the third year wing calmly made both shots from the line to seal UST's win.
Acido led the Tigers with 19 points, 7 rebounds and a team-high 7 assists. He also had a perfect 7-of-7 free throw shooting as Akowe had another double-double, scoring 18 points and hauling down 10 rebounds.
UE Red Warriors