Esports: SBP looks to build eGilas pool through UAAP NBA 2K tourney

MANILA — The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is looking to build its pool of players for eGilas through the UAAP NBA 2K tournament.

Named eFIBA x UAAP eGilas Talent Discovery Tournament presented by SBP, the UAAP’s esports tournament will serve as a talent identification platform for the national team which represents the Philippines in international NBA 2K tournaments held by eFIBA.

“We’re glad that the UAAP continues to help us build our national teams, even in the esports realm. We know that player turnover in esports can be very high, with players constantly evolving and new talents emerging,” said SBP executive director Erika Dy.

“Having a pool of talented student-athletes competing at a high level in the UAAP gives us a valuable foundation to identify players who can represent the country in future eFIBA tournaments,” she added.

The UAAP NBA 2K tourney is also the culmination of the league’s esports season.

For Dy, the program will serve as a “sustainable pathway” for student-athletes who want to play internationally.

“We’re excited to see how these student-athletes perform, and we hope this initiative will strengthen our talent identification program and help ensure that eGilas remains competitive on the world stage,” said the basketball executive.

This year’s competition will feature the 5v5 Pro-Am game mode using NBA 2K27, a diversion from previous NBA 2K tourneys.

For eGilas program director Ryan Gregorio, the format aligns with international eFIBA standards and provides an opportunity to develop players who can represent the country on the global stage, especially with the Philippines entering the competition as the defending world champion after winning the eFIBA Season 4 World Finals last July.

“We have to build a healthy esports community, including in NBA 2K, and the UAAP provides us with an excellent platform to do that. Our model for youth 3×3 basketball is to identify elite student-athletes through tournaments like UAAP 3×3, bring them together for the FIBA 3×3 Nations League, and develop them into national team players,” said Gregorio, who is also the federation’s 3×3 program director.

“That approach has already produced two teams that competed in the FIBA 3×3 Under-23 World Cup. We’re hoping to replicate that success in eFIBA,” he added.

National University will gun for an esports event sweep after ruling the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang tournament last August and the VALORANT competition last September.

The Bulldogs are bracketed with the University of Santo Tomas Teletigers, whom they will face at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, and the Far Eastern University Tamaraws at 4:30 p.m. They will wrap up their preliminary-round campaign against the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons at 10:30 a.m. on Monday.

Defending two-time NBA 2K champions Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, meanwhile, will open their campaign against archrivals De La Salle University Green Aces on Sunday noon.

The Blue Eagles will then play a doubleheader on Monday, taking on the University of the East Red Warriors at noon before facing the Adamson University Soaring Falcons at 3 p.m.

The top two teams from each pool will advance to the crossover best-of-three semifinals on Tuesday, with the best-of-three grand finals to follow.

All games will be held at MVP Studios along Reliance Street in Mandaluyong City.