DLSU Green Archers Set for Japan’s University Top League

The De La Salle Green Archers are heading back to Japan for another important stop in their preparations for the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament.

La Salle will represent the Philippines in the 2026 University Top League from August 12 to 14 at the Yoshinogari Culture and Sports Gymnasium in Saga Prefecture. The eight-team competition will give the defending UAAP champions three days of games against university squads from Japan and Taiwan.

DLSU takes the Philippine slot previously occupied by Ateneo, which won last year’s tournament after completing an undefeated four-game run in Osaka. The Blue Eagles were originally expected to defend their championship but withdrew from the competition in June in the aftermath of the Aurora team-building tragedy.

The Green Archers’ inclusion was confirmed through the University Top League’s final schedule, setting up another international preseason test for Topex Robinson and his staff.

La Salle will compete in a four-team group with Kanagawa University, Kyoto Sangyo University, and Kyushu Kyoritsu University.

DLSU begins its campaign against Kanagawa on August 12 at 10 a.m. in Japan, or 9 a.m. in Manila. The Archers return to the floor later that afternoon to face Kyoto Sangyo at 2 p.m. Japan time, or 1 p.m. in the Philippines.

Their final group game will be against Kyushu Kyoritsu on August 13 at 11:30 a.m. in Japan and 10:30 a.m. in Manila.

Classification games will be played on August 14, with La Salle’s opponent, placement and tip-off time depending on its position after the group stage. The Archers will play either at 10 a.m. or noon in Japan, corresponding to 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. in Manila.

The other group features Taiwan’s National Chengchi University alongside Chuo University, Japan University of Economics, and Nagoya Gakuin University. Official games will be streamed through the league’s online platforms.

This will be La Salle’s third consecutive year traveling to Japan for part of its UAAP preparations, although its previous appearances came in the separate World University Basketball Series.

The Green Archers captured the WUBS championship in 2024 before returning in 2025 and finishing runner-up to Korea University. Their experience facing different basketball styles abroad has become a regular part of Robinson’s preseason program, and this year’s trip comes at a particularly important point for a team undergoing significant changes.

La Salle is preparing to defend the UAAP championship it won in dramatic fashion last season. The Archers entered the Season 88 Final Four as the fourth seed, eliminated top-ranked National University, and defeated the University of the Philippines in a three-game championship series.

Season 88 Finals MVP Mike Phillips, however, has exhausted his eligibility after anchoring La Salle’s defense, rebounding, and interior play. The Archers also lost Kean Baclaan, who left the program after one playing year to join Caloocan in the MPBL, while EJ Gollena and Rhyle Melencio have moved on as well.

Those departures place greater responsibility on Jacob Cortez, who is expected to serve as La Salle’s primary playmaker and one of its senior leaders in his final collegiate season. Mason Amos, Luis Pablo, Earl Abadam, Jcee Macalalag, Andrei Dungo, and Vhoris Marasigan are also among the returning players expected to take on larger roles.

The program has also added Filipino-American guard Jason Cibull, Gilas Boys standouts Joaquin Tovera and Kyle Sardon, and former De La Salle Zobel forward Bonn Daja. Their final UAAP roster and the group traveling to Japan have yet to be announced.

DLSU has already experienced an eventful preseason. The Archers earned bronze in the 2026 NSAC, surviving FEU in the quarterfinals before losing an overtime semifinal to UST. They closed their campaign by beating San Beda, 78-61, in the third-place game.

In the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup, the Green Archers finished the group stage with a 4-2 record. They defeated UST, FEU, Adamson, and Gilas Pilipinas Youth, but their run ended with a 64-59 quarterfinal loss to San Beda.

Three games against unfamiliar opposition in Japan should provide another useful measure of that progress before the UAAP season opens on September 12.