MANILA – The girls’ basketball competition will return to the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) after a five-year absence.

The inaugural tournament in 2020 was cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic, with Adamson University and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) sharing the Season 82 title after the cancellation of the winner-take-all Game 3 of the finals.

This year, the competition will feature UST, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle-Zobel, and National University-Nazareth School (NUNS).

The tournament will start Jan. 23 at FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan, with NUNS facing Ateneo at 4 p.m.

NUNS head coach Camilla Escoto expressed her excitement over the tournament’s return.

“Very happy and very excited about it because I believe, we just need to start somewhere and it will start growing. That's women's basketball. Just give a platform and they will perform and start becoming more. Although there are only four teams this season, it’s a good start. We just really need to start,” Escoto said.

She steered NUNS to victories in the National Basketball Training Center’s girls’ division and the UAAP girls’ 3x3 tournament last year.

Junior Growling Tigresses coach Arsenio Dysangco noted the importance of a high school division in the UAAP to ease the transition to the collegiate level.

“I am extremely delighted that after a five-year hiatus, our young girls finally have their own tournament to showcase their talents. This tournament is also critical in the development of women’s basketball because starting them early gives them a better chance at reaching their fullest potential as basketball athletes,” Dysangco said.

“As for our girls’ basketball team, we just want them to always play to the best of their ability, with passion and heart, and represent our beloved university well. Our mainstays Grachelle Boteros and Barby Dajao from Bacolod serve as the pillars of our program,” he added.

Those who played in Season 82 have excelled in their collegiate teams such as inaugural Most Valuable Player Cris Padilla and Kat Agojo (Adamson), Brigette Santos and Nicole Danganan (UST) and Katelyn Cancio (Ateneo).

UST’s Rachel Lacayanga joined the University of the East Lady Warriors. (PNA)