Roxas City Invitational Basketball tilt bares five-team field

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Organizers have unveiled the five teams set to compete in the inaugural Roxas City Invitational Basketball Tournament, which will be held from August 21 to 26 at the Dinggoy Roxas Civic Center in Roxas City, Capiz.

The tournament will feature a mix of collegiate powerhouses from the Philippines and international clubs from Australia.

Leading the field are reigning UAAP men’s basketball champion De La Salle University Green Archers, Adamson University Soaring Falcons, NCAA squad University of Perpetual Help System DALTA Altas, Australia’s Universal Athletic Centre (UAC) Keysborough of the Melbourne Basketball League, and the Brian Kerle Basketball Academy of Queensland.

UAC Keysborough was the first foreign team confirmed for the tournament. Joining them is the Brian Kerle Basketball Academy, one of Queensland’s established basketball programs. The academy is headed by Australian basketball legend Brian Kerle, a two-time Olympian, four-time National Basketball League (NBL) champion, and NBL Hall of Fame coach.

The academy also has international experience, having competed in last year’s BLIA Cup in Taiwan against teams from Taiwan, Malaysia, and UAAP squads University of the Philippines and National University.

The Green Archers head to Roxas City fresh off winning the Mayor Kirk Asis Open Invitational Basketball Tournament in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur in June. Their championship victory came in controversial fashion after opponents CM Farm were declared to have forfeited the title game following an alleged threat to walk out.

Meanwhile, Adamson and Perpetual recently wrapped up their respective campaigns in the Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup 2026. Adamson went winless in five games in the UAAP bracket, while the Altas finished with a 3–6 record in the NCAA division, which was eventually won by the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers.

De La Salle is expected to parade UAAP stars Jacob Cortez and Mason Amos, along with champion head coach Topex Robinson. Perpetual will be led by Mark Gojo Cruz, Patrick Sleat, and LA Casinillo, while Adamson is expected to field Matt Erolon and Matthew Montebon. Veteran mentors Olsen Racela and Nash Racela will coach Perpetual and Adamson, respectively.

The tournament will be supervised by UAAP high school champion coach Mike Reyes of the FEU Baby Tamaraws. Event organization will be handled by veteran tournament organizer and sports advocate Van Halen Parmis with the full backing of the Roxas City local government led by tournament executive director Miguel Dadivas.

Organizers said the tournament format and the cash prizes at stake will be announced in the coming weeks.

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