For the first time in five years, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) is bringing back the girls’ basketball tournament.

The inaugural tournament, held during Season 82, concluded with Adamson University and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) being declared co-champions after the Covid-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the winner-take-all Game 3 of the finals.

This season, UST will return alongside Ateneo de Manila University High School, De La Salle-Zobel, and National University Nazareth School (NUNS) for this demonstration event, which tips off on Thursday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

NUNS head coach Camilla Escoto, a former women’s basketball player, expressed her excitement about the tournament’s comeback.

“I’m very happy and excited. I believe we need to start somewhere and it will start growing. That’s women’s basketball. It needs a platform where players can perform,” said Escoto, who led NUNS to victories in the National Basketball Training Center’s girls’ division and the UAAP girls’ 3x3 tournament last year.

“Although there are currently only four teams, it’s already a good start. We just really need to start.”

NUNS will begin its campaign against Ateneo at 4 p.m., following the boys’ games on Sundays and Thursdays.

Junior Growling Tigresses head coach Arsenio Dysangco emphasized the importance of having a high school division in the UAAP to ease the transition of student-athletes to the collegiate level.

“I am extremely delighted that after a long hiatus, our young girls finally have their own tournament to showcase their talents,” said Dysangco, who has served as a long-time deputy for Growling Tigresses head coach Haydee Ong.