Romwel Anzures

June Cuajao (middle) with his sons Ian (left) and Deo (right) in NCAA Season 101 at the FilOil Centre in San Juan. Photo by Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News.

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ABS-CBN News

<div style="line-height:1.5"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1761735254481IMG_1313.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="June Cuajao (middle) with his sons Ian (left) and Deo (right) in NCAA Season 101 at the FilOil Centre in San Juan. Photo by Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News."/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">June Cuajao (middle) with his sons Ian (left) and Deo (right) in NCAA Season 101 at the FilOil Centre in San Juan. <em>Photo by Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News.</em></span></span></span>MANILA —Brothers Deo and Ian Cuajao had their first-ever NCAA match-up on Wednesday -- an already memorable event made even more special by the presence of their father, June Cuajao.</div><div style="line-height:1.5"><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/10/29/ncaa-dela-rama-stuns-ex-team-as-stags-extinguish-letran-s-hot-streak-1332"><strong>READ: Dela Rama stuns ex-team as Stags extinguish Letran’s hot streak</strong></a></div><div style="line-height:1.5"><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/10/29/ncaa-san-sebastian-players-coaches-facing-4-month-salary-allowance-delay-1635"><strong>READ: San Sebastian players, coaches facing 4-month salary, allowance delay — ‘We’re also fighting for life’</strong></a></div><p style="line-height:1.5">Arriving in Manila at 6:00 a.m., and then going straight to the FilOil Centre in San Juan with some of their family members, June had the experience of a lifetime as he witnessed the first -- and possibly the only -- collegiate matchup of his sons.</p><p style="line-height:1.5">“First time ko na mapanood na magkalaban sila. Kadalasan, magkasama sila sa iisang team sa Davao,” June told ABS-CBN News after Ian and San Sebastian College stunned Deo Colegio de San Juan de Letran, 82-81.</p><p style="line-height:1.5">“Malayo rin ang agwat nila, at dito na sila nag-abot ng laro sa iisang liga, sa Maynila na,” June added.</p><p style="line-height:1.5">Having played for PMI College and Divine Word College, and eventually in Commercial leagues in Cebu and North Cotabato, June shared that basketball runs deep in the blood of the Cuajao family.</p><p style="line-height:1.5">“Passion ko talaga ang basketball. Sa side ni misis, marami rin naglalaro sa kanila, tapos yung passion ko, napasa rin namin sa mga anak namin,” said June of his deceased wife Janette.</p><p style="line-height:1.5">“Sa amin, malapit lang kami sa court. Mga 200 meters lang is court na, so yun yung libangan nila. Bata pa lang, hawak na nila yung bola, at si Ian at Deo ang natutukan ko. Parang naging personal coach ako nila,” added June, a father of five, whose family previously resided in Midsayap, North Cotabato.</p><p style="line-height:1.5">It was in Davao, specifically in Holy Child College, where Deo and Ian honed their talents before being recruited by schools in the UAAP and NCAA, respectively, and June is grateful for how his sons have grown and matured over the years.</p><p style="line-height:1.5">“Sobrang blessed, super proud kami na parents na biniyayaan kami ng mga anak na may talento sa paglalaro, at nagamit nila ito sa pagaaral,” he said. “Tapos unti-unti silang nakikilala sa basketball.”</p><p style="line-height:1.5">Deo — who was picked 22nd overall by the Rain or Shine ElastoPainters in the PBA Season 50 Rookie Draft —  previously suited up for University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle University before moving to Letran, while Ian played for the Letran Squires and Emilio Aguinaldo College in high school.</p><p style="line-height:1.5">And unless they meet in the playoffs, this matchup could have been the Cuajao bros’ final one in the collegiate ranks as Deo is already in his final year.</p><p style="line-height:1.5">But just as his sons have defied the odds throughout the years, June is optimistic that the two will share the court again in the future in the professional ranks.</p><p style="line-height:1.5">“Kung bigyan ng pagkakataon, mataas naman tiwala nila sa sarili, so tuloy-tuloy lang nila ang kanilang passion,” he said. ”Ingatan nila ang kanilang mga sarili, at gagabayan naman sila ng Panginoon.”<strong></strong></p><div style="line-height:1.5"><br/></div><div style="line-height:1.5"><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABqBUGDSIpVfx128"></script>

<p>Brothers Deo and Ian Cuajao had their first-ever NCAA match-up on Wednesday, but making it more special was the presence of their father June Cuajao.</p>

Brothers Deo and Ian Cuajao had their first-ever NCAA match-up on Wednesday, but making it more special was the presence of their father June Cuajao.

NCAA: June Cuajao relishes first-ever duel between sons Deo and Ian

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NCAA: June Cuajao relishes first-ever duel between sons Deo and Ian

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 29, 2025 07:30 PM PHT

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Basketball

NCAA

ABSSports

NCAA Season 101

NCAA Basketball

UAAP

June Cuajao

Deo Cuajao

Ian Cuajao

San Sebastian Golde Stags

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