Letran secures Braga, Abellar, Oraa to fuel NCAA title defense
Eager to defend its title in the NCAA Season 102 Juniors Basketball Tournament, Colegio de San Juan de Letran has secured the commitment of one of the country’s most promising young big men.
An already intact Squires squad received a major boost with the addition of former University of the East standout and Gilas Pilipinas Youth pool member Eoin Braga, who is set to bolster Letran’s title-retention bid in Season 102.
“Parang na-feel ko lang yung value ko sa kanila at for my last year [in high school] na super important for my career, naisip ko na hindi na mag-adjust sa another school at sumama na lang ulit sa isang SGA program in Letran,” Braga told Tiebreaker Times on Saturday.
“Syempre going sa champion team, may pressure. Gusto ko lang i-defend yung crown namin. Si coach Andrew, may streak yan na champion. Gusto ko lang makatulong para kay coach Andrew at makuha ulit namin championship,” he added.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Braga, a 6-foot-8 center from Dasmariñas, Cavite, is coming off a strong campaign in the 2026 Palarong Pambansa in Agusan del Sur last May, where he played a key role in the National Capital Region’s bronze-medal finish in the secondary boys’ basketball tournament.
The 18-year-old also gained valuable experience with the national team after earning a spot in the 24-man Gilas Youth pool for the 2026 FIBA U18 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers before eventually being cut from the final roster.
In the highly competitive NCAA juniors basketball landscape, Braga is expected to make an immediate impact for the Andrew Estrella-mentored squad. He averaged 4.07 points, 2.93 rebounds, and 0.86 blocks per game during Season 88.
“Sobrang grateful ako na napasama ako sa pool, at sobrang grateful ako sa opportunity na matuto kila Coach Juno Sauler. Madadala ko yung lessons na nakuha ko sa Gilas kahit hindi ako na-lineup para sa later stages ng career ko,” Braga shared.
Aside from landing Braga, Letran also strengthened its roster by securing the commitments of Mhico Abellar and Ethan Oraa.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Abellar is expected to help fill the void left by departing star Kiefer Cabañero. The 16-year-old, 5-foot-11 sharpshooting guard emerged as UE’s sparkplug off the bench in Season 88, averaging 5.21 points, 1.50 rebounds, and 1.00 assists in 13 minutes and 43 seconds per game.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Completing Letran’s latest recruiting class is Oraa, a 6-foot-2 guard from Oton, Iloilo, who played a crucial role in the Junior Warriors’ championship run in the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Tournament, helping end UE’s 39-year basketball title drought in the league.
The trio’s move comes after the Junior Warriors finished fifth in Season 88, which also marked the end of an era for the program. The season served as the final year of Strong Group Athletics’ three-year commitment to UE’s high school basketball program.
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