UAAP: Koji Buenaflor readjusts on return to UST, carries lessons from Asian Games 3x3 basketball

After donning national team colors in the 2026 Asian Games for the Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 Basketball Team, Koji Buenaflor is back in University of Santo Tomas gold, contributing to his team’s 98-87 win over the University of the East.

Starting in today’s game against the Red Warriors, the six-foot-five swingman logged eight points, two rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 15 minutes of action.

However, despite the victory, the 20-year-old from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, acknowledged that he still has to get into 5v5 basketball shape after spending some time retooling his game for the half-court setting.

“Siguro one week without 5v5 basketball, medyo nahirapan ako this game… kasi pag 3x3 kailangan aggressive ka, and dito sa game na ‘to sobra akong aggressive na to the point nagko-commit na ako ng turnovers,” admitted Buenaflor, who committed two turnovers.

“Balik-practice, balik sa dating gawin na para gan’on makuha ko ulit ‘yung style ko ‘pag naglalaro ng 5v5,” the UST cager also stated.

(A week without 5v5 basketball, I found this game somewhat difficult… In 3x3, you need to be aggressive, and here, I was so aggressive to the point that I committed turnovers.

(I need to return to practice and get back to what I used to do so I can regain my style when playing 5v5.)

Buenaflor was part of the quartet that nearly missed out on a podium finish in the most recent edition of the Asian Games. Alongside the UST forward were De La Salle University’s Doy Dungo and Luis Pablo, as well as former UST star Nic Cabañero.

Still, the sophomore is taking the positives from immersing himself in the international game, saying that the physicality he experienced in Aichi-Nagoya will only help him in the long run as he looks to further help the Growling Tigers in their Season 89 campaign.

“Iba sa international eh, mga Koreano, Iranians, iba 'yung physicality nila, at saka 'yung patience nila ‘pag naglalaro. So ayon lang din 'yung gusto ko i-incorporate sa laro ko na kailangan, nag-iisip ako ‘pag naglalaro,” asserted Buenaflor.

(International play is different. The Koreans and Iranians have a different level of physicality, as well as patience when they play. Those are the things I want to incorporate into my game, and I also need to think more while playing.)

—JKC, GMA News