FEU-Diliman, UST Gain Valuable Lessons at NBA Rising Stars

The Far Eastern University-Diliman Baby Tamaraws and the University of Santo Tomas Junior Tigresses carried the aspirations of young Filipino basketball players with them as they competed in the second edition of the 2026 NBA Rising Stars Invitational in Singapore.

Fresh off their championship runs in the boys’ and girls’ divisions of the UAAP Season 88 High School Basketball Tournament, both squads looked to bring that level of winning standard to the international stage — and elevate it even further — against some of the best young teams in the Asia-Pacific region.

The invitational features 12 boys’ teams and 12 girls’ teams competing in a round-robin format before the knockout stages at OCBC Arena in Singapore from June 23 to 28.

The Philippine representatives made strong opening statements: FEU-Diliman dismantled Singapore’s Hwa Chong Institution, 89-24, while UST cruised past Mongolia’s Royal International School, 75-45, in their respective opening games.

But both teams ultimately saw their campaigns come to an end in the group stage after tightly contested losses in their second assignments. The Baby Tamaraws bowed to Japan’s Tottori Johoku High School, 81-75, while the Junior Tigresses fell just short against Australia’s Rowville Secondary College, 81-78.

For Baby Tamaraws head coach Allan Albano, the tournament represented another opportunity for growth and development for both his players and coaching staff.

“Excited nga kasi, first time ko rin mag-coach kalaro ang international. At the same time, siyempre, kinakabahan. ‘Di naman nawawala sa akin yung kaba eh. And I think, ‘dun sa kaba, kaya ako siguro nagpupursigi na matuto mag-coach. ’Di nag-stop ang learnings about coaching, about developments sa mga kids,” said Albano.

That learning experience became even clearer in FEU-Diliman’s decisive group match. After their dominant opening win, the Baby Tamaraws were pushed by Tottori Johoku and still gave themselves a chance late, trimming the deficit to four in the final seconds before the Japanese side held on.

JB Cagurungan and Prince Cariño, two of FEU-Diliman’s Gilas Youth standouts, each scored 16 points in the loss, with Cariño also grabbing eight rebounds. In the Baby Tamaraws’ opening win, Cagurungan and Cariño had already set the tone with 22 and 21 points, respectively.

On the other hand, UST head coach Sen Dysangco viewed the tournament as an opportunity to measure his team’s progress against international competition while staying true to the style of play that brought the Junior Tigresses back-to-back UAAP gold finishes.

“We really plan not to change our style of play. Gusto ko kasing ibangga ‘yung the way we play sa UAAP the last couple of seasons, when we won both championships. I want to see that kind of play.”

“Gusto ko as a coach makita na if we play like how we play in the Philippines, ano pa ‘yung need namin i-improve? What are the things that we do well?” Dysangco emphasized.

“Kung manalo, then bonus na sa amin. But for me, it’s actually the learning. It’s the learning that’s very important for us. And that’s what we’re looking forward to,” the head coach concluded.

UST nearly extended its stay in Singapore behind a late push against Rowville. Sofia Petalcorin hit a three-pointer with 15 seconds remaining to keep the Junior Tigresses within striking distance, while Rhiane Perez came up with a steal on the next possession to give UST one more chance. Perez missed a breakaway layup, Lea Pinuela secured the offensive rebound, but the Junior Tigresses were unable to get another attempt off before time expired.

Pinuela and Petalcorin led UST with 16 points apiece in the loss, while Perez added eight points and 12 rebounds. Lhian Arabi also gave the Junior Tigresses a strong effort on the glass with seven points and 13 rebounds. In their opening victory over Royal International School, Perez had already shown her all-around impact with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Jesabel Anacan added 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Adding to the excitement, Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura and NBA champion Mitch Richmond were named among the event’s headliners alongside Jeremy Lin and Lauren Jackson.

With that in mind, FEU-Diliman and Gilas Youth standout JB Cagurungan looked forward to the chance to interact with and learn from them.

“Thankful [ako] kasi part kami ng NBA [Rising Stars] and will be able to learn from mga NBA players. Gusto ko rin sana matuto kung anong mga work ethic nila and kung anong mga ginawa nila,” Cagurungan stated.

The enthusiasm was shared on the Junior Tigresses’ side as well, with UAAP Season 88 Finals MVP Rhiane Perez also expressing her eagerness for the experience.

“Sa pag-meet ng mga NBA [players], napakalaking opportunity sa amin na ipakita yung mga talent namin dito sa Philippines,” said Perez.

Meanwhile, for Prince Cariño, another FEU-Diliman and Gilas Youth standout, the tournament served as a valuable opportunity to continue developing his game against high-level competition.

“This tournament will be a huge part of me talaga because I’ll get to train myself for the next level kasi NBA na ang pinag-uusapan natin dito. Parang it’s an honor talaga na makapagtapak sa stage na ‘to,” the young big man shared.

FEU-Diliman and UST may have exited earlier than they hoped, but their stint in Singapore still gave both programs exactly what they came for: a chance to compete, learn, and measure themselves against some of the region’s best young teams.

For two UAAP champion programs carrying the Philippine flag, the trip meant beyond the scoreboard. It was a glimpse of where they already stand, what they still need to sharpen, and how much young Filipino basketball talent can continue to grow when tested beyond home soil.