Kean Baclaan is done for the UAAP season after tearing MCL

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

This has to be De La Salle University’s (DLSU) most unfortunate year in the past five UAAP seasons.

After losing Mason Amos to a torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee, the Green Archers will have to brace for a tougher campaign as superstar guard Kean Baclaan suffered the same fate on Oct. 15, 2025.

During DLSU’s come-from-behind 111–110 overtime win over the University of the East (UE) Red Warriors, Baclaan went down with a knee injury at the 4:20 mark of the fourth quarter.

In a battle for a loose ball, UE forward Wello Lingolingo accidentally dove into Baclaan’s right knee, which turned out to be DLSU’s worst nightmare of the game.

Baclaan immediately grabbed his knee and was visibly shouting in pain after the big screens at the SM Mall of Asia Arena showed the replay of what transpired.

Despite UE claiming it was unintentional, the game referees slapped a Category 2 unsportsmanlike foul on Lingolingo, causing his ejection with four minutes of basketball action still to be played.

Baclaan was bound for a monster finish after spearheading DLSU’s 21-point comeback when he went unconscious shooting the ball in the final five minutes of the third quarter.

His superb offensive showing helped the Green Archers trim their deficit to a single digit, finishing the game with 17 points before exiting the arena.

Hours after sustaining the season-ending injury, Baclaan took to social media to ask for prayers and support.

“This is what I prepared and worked hard for the whole year, and now it’s suddenly gone just like that,” Baclaan posted on his official Facebook account.

“I just want to say that I’m out for the entire season, and this isn’t what I wanted or expected to happen. Thank you so much to everyone who messaged and called to check up on me. Please don’t worry, I’ll come back stronger and finish my last year at DLSU.”