For the UE Red Warriors, winning has become a question that has lingered for nearly two years.
After 27 straight losses, the second-longest losing streak in UAAP history, the question remains: can UE finally break through in Season 89?
As of the end of the first round, UE has yet to win a game since Oct. 24, 2024. The Red Warriors remain the league's lone winless team, sitting at the bottom of the standings with a net rating of -16.53 and a defensive rating of 86.30.
Yet their numbers tell a more complicated story. UE's offensive rating of 69.77 is not far off Adamson's 70.80, the second-lowest mark in the league. The Soaring Falcons, however, finished the first round with a 4-3 record, the third-best in the standings.
The gap between UE and the rest of the field remains clear, particularly on defense, but if the Red Warriors are to find a breakthrough in the second round, their offense could be where they make their move.
They offered a glimpse of that possibility in their first-round finale against the UP Fighting Maroons, a squad that has been a perennial championship contender in the UAAP over the last five years.
UE came closer to a breakthrough than in a long time, controlling much of the opening half and building a 10-point second-quarter lead.
UP eventually fought back, chipping away at the deficit before timely three-pointers from Rey Remogat and Chicco Briones halted UE's rally. The Red Warriors ultimately fell short, but their performance showed what they could be when their offense clicks.
For more than half the game, UE's shotmaking was sharp, and Toper Lagat was at the center of it all.
Lagat repeatedly forced defensive switches and exploited mismatches with his ability to create off the dribble, knock down jumpers and hit from beyond the arc. He finished with 26 points on 10-of-24 shooting from the field.
Through the first round, Lagat also led UE in true shooting percentage at 55.35%, a mark that underscored his efficiency despite shouldering a heavy offensive workload.
UE leaned heavily on Spain pick-and-rolls, which add a back screen to a standard pick-and-roll, and double-drag screens to create perimeter opportunities for Lagat. The sets repeatedly put the ball in his hands and gave him chances to read and react or attack favorable matchups.
"You guys saw how these guys played their hearts out," UE interim head coach Paolo Hubalde said after the loss to UP. "We build from that. At the end of the day, we still have to work on our side of the game. We need to improve our free throws and convert on both ends of the floor. That's still a big factor."
"We're almost there, so we just have to keep building on that."
When UP began adjusting to UE's actions late in the third quarter, the Red Warriors moved Lagat off the ball and used off-ball screens to ease the defensive pressure on him. The adjustment highlighted how much of UE's offensive identity revolves around creating opportunities for its leading scorer.
That reliance is hardly limited to one game. Throughout the first round, UE repeatedly designed its sets around getting Lagat the best possible look, making him the engine of an offense that has struggled to find consistent production elsewhere.
Hubalde, however, believes in the player behind the team's primary offensive source.
"I told him to just be himself. I'm a very proud coach because Toper is a hard worker. He's actually a gym rat, so I told him to build on what he's learned and keep going. I'm here to support him," Hubalde said.
For Lagat, that trust from his coaches and teammates provides confidence. But he knows that individual numbers mean little if they do not translate into wins.
"I'm super grateful that my coaches and teammates trust me to run those set plays," Lagat told ESPN. "Of course, I'll let the game come to me. I don't want to force shots that I shouldn't take. If my teammates are open, I'll give them the ball. I have full trust in my teammates, too, and that they can do their jobs."
Beyond Lagat, only starting point guard Mo Tañedo averaged double figures for UE in the first round, posting exactly 10.00 points per game.
Other players, including Cole Cruz-Dumont and Gene Carillo, have delivered in spurts, with both serving as shooting threats in UE's Spain pick-and-roll actions.
Still, the Red Warriors will likely continue to lean on Lagat to carry much of the offensive burden. With few consistent scoring options, UE has little choice but to put its leading scorer in positions to make plays, even as opposing defenses increasingly focus on stopping him.
"We give him 100% support when you know he's putting in the work," Hubalde said of Lagat. "No matter who we are playing against, we won't let them stop us. We're all out."
UE does not need to solve its problems overnight, as they need to turn its flashes of promise into a complete performance and, ultimately, a win.
"We need to win," Lagat said. "I'll just do my best in every game so that we can win.
"We want to win every single game. Like I said, we'll take every chance we can get to win."
With the second round on the horizon, UE's chances again rest on Lagat's shoulders.
