Inside Irish Coquia’s Commitment to the UP Fighting Maroons

Irish Coquia’s road to UP began with options, family ties, and one performance the Fighting Maroons could not ignore. His commitment to the UP Fighting Maroons was not a straight-line recruitment story.

Before the Fil-Canadian guard chose State U, there was already public intrigue around his connection with De La Salle University after he joined the Green Archers in offseason tournaments.

But according to Ronald Dadivas of Agent D Sports Management, Coquia’s Filipino manager, that step was never meant to close the door on his other options.

“Di pa naman final yun,” Dadivas said in an exclusive interview with ALL-STAR Magazine. “That’s why tiningnan ni Irish yung options niya. Yung uncle and ninang niya, nasa UP. Those were the big factors why Irish considered UP.”

By the time Coquia was done working out with La Salle, Dadivas said the people closest to him helped shape the next stage of the decision.

“Yung decision-making niya, by the time we were done working out La Salle, he considered his uncle and ninang who convinced him,” Dadivas said.

From there, UP’s pursuit gathered momentum. Coquia, a 6-foot-1 playmaker who last played for NCAA Division I program University of New Orleans after a strong stint with Simon Fraser University, had already been on the radar of UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde even before his name became more familiar to Filipino basketball fans.

“Coach Gold ang talagang interested with his talent, kasi since before pa, nakikita na nila nung nasa Simon Fraser University siya,” Dadivas said. “Nag-materialize lahat from that interest of Coach Gold. They were looking for an impact player.”

One game in Canada gave UP even more reason to pursue him.

On June 15, Coquia delivered 31 points, 10 assists, and four rebounds for Team Drive in a 125-118 victory over the UP Fighting Maroons at Simon Fraser University.

The performance helped convince the Maroons to put more urgency behind their recruitment, giving the coaching staff a closer look at what Coquia could bring as a scorer, creator, and lead guard.

The actual commitment, Dadivas said, came together smoothly. UP met with Coquia’s side over lunch, with his uncle and ninang also involved in the process. For a player tracing his roots to Dagupan City, Pangasinan, the comfort of having family connected to the school became a major part of the decision.

“It was a lunch meeting, then after that, since involved yung ninang at uncle niya for the commitment, everything went smooth,” Dadivas said. “Yung family-oriented culture nila yung factor.”

UP OASD later announced Coquia’s commitment as part of the program’s long-term backcourt plan. Turning 21 in September, Coquia will undergo a one-year residency before becoming eligible for UAAP Season 90, where he is expected to have two playing years for the Fighting Maroons.

His arrival comes at an important transition point for UP. The Maroons are preparing for UAAP Season 89 with another championship chase in mind, but they are also already looking ahead to life after Rey Remogat and Rain Maga, who are set to complete their eligibility after the coming season.

“Together with our other recruits, makakatulong si Irish sa atin, especially to ensure na tuloy-tuloy lang tayo pagkatapos ng playing years nina Rey at Rain,” Monteverde said in the UP OASD announcement.

For UP, Coquia projects as a major piece of its Season 90 guard rotation, where he is expected to join Fil-Am recruit Joaquin Tovera in forming the next wave of the Maroons’ backcourt.

Dadivas said the program views Coquia as someone who can make an immediate difference once he becomes eligible.

“I think he’s an impact player, because Remogat is leaving after this season, so they’re preparing for a big impact from Irish in Season 90, together with the young guard, Tovera,” Dadivas said. “They’re trying to prepare their frontline so they can compete with Final Four contenders. Alam mo naman, yung La Salle, malakas din.”

Coquia’s resume gives UP reason to believe his game can translate to the Philippines. Before playing in college, he was one of British Columbia’s top high school players, averaging 35 points while leading his team to a provincial championship and earning MVP honors.

He later built on that reputation at Simon Fraser before moving to New Orleans, giving him experience in both NCAA Division II and Division I environments.

There was also a Canada 3×3 opportunity that did not push through. Dadivas said the decision was made carefully because of possible implications for Coquia’s future with Gilas Pilipinas.

“Yung 3×3, hindi nag-push through, kasi baka ma-affect yung eligibility niya for Gilas,” Dadivas said. “Once maglaro siya for Team Canada, baka sa FIBA magka-record na he represents Canada. Although he’s a dual citizen, but the technicalities, we’re trying to avoid.”

As for what Coquia will receive at UP, Dadivas described the arrangement as standard.

“Standard, nothing crazy,” he said. “The perks that players regularly get.”

The commitment also carries a homecoming layer. Coquia’s uncle, multidisciplinary communicator Rex Laguerta, studied at UP Open University from 2019 to 2024.

For the Fighting Maroons, Coquia’s arrival is both a present investment and a future answer. UP is coming off its fifth straight UAAP Finals appearance, with championships in Seasons 84 and 87, and the program is determined to keep its contention window open even as its current guard core nears the end of its run.

In Coquia’s lore, the move represents a return to his Filipino roots, a chance to develop inside one of the country’s most competitive college programs, and an opportunity to become one of the key names in UP’s next chapter.