Two years after making a name for himself with Blacklist International, Jayson “Bombi” Echem brought a familiar healing touch to the collegiate scene, guiding the University of the Philippines to its first-ever medal in the UAAP Mobile Legends: Bang Bang tournament.

During the group stage, Echem drafted heroes such as Mathilda, Faramis, and Rafaela — key pieces of the sustain-heavy compositions popularized by Blacklist during its dominant run on the local and international stages.

The strategy helped propel the Fighting Maroons to their maiden UAAP playoff appearance and, ultimately, a historic medal finish.

Echem admitted that recreating Blacklist’s famed healing meta in the UAAP was not entirely a conscious decision. Rather, his arrival at UP simply presented an opportunity to revive a style that suited the team’s players.

“Actually, hindi naman 100-percent conscious effort. Pero since comfort din kasi ng mga players iyong ganoong lineup, kaya namin ginamit,” said Bombi of UP’s healing-heavy drafts.

His path to the Fighting Maroons also had a touch of Blacklist, with former teammate and decorated coach Kristoffer “BON CHAN” Ricaplaza recommending him for the coaching position.

“Ang unang na-contact nila was si Coach BON CHAN. Kaso under contract pa siya noong time na iyon, so hindi pa siya puwedeng pumasok,” Bombi recalled.

“Since naging teammates kami before sa Blacklist, parang ako iyong ni-refer niya. Then nag-tryout ako sa UP.”

(C) UAAP Media Team

What began as a referral soon became a deeply personal undertaking for Bombi.

Long before esports developed professional and collegiate pathways, he was already a gamer. However, competitions such as the UAAP MLBB tournament were not yet available to him during his student years.

Coaching UP therefore allowed him to experience something he had missed — and fulfill a dream held by a younger version of himself.

“Naisip ko rin na ibang experience ito. Before, gamer na talaga ako, pero hindi ko ito na-experience noong nag-aaral pa ako,” he shared.

“So parang, why not? Fulfillment din siya para sa younger me.”

Bombi’s experience in the professional scene gave UP a seasoned voice, but working with student-athletes required him to adjust his coaching methods. Unlike professional players who can devote most of their day to practice, collegiate esports athletes must divide their time between training and academics.

“Dito sa collegiate, hati iyong oras. May time for studies at may time for practice,” Bombi explained. “Sa pro kasi, whole day iyong playing time nila. Dito, hindi puwedeng all about playing kasi may pag-aaral pa silang kailangang atupagin.

“Hindi sila pare-pareho ng course. Hindi rin sila pare-pareho ng class schedule. Kaya kailangan nating ayusin iyong availability ng bawat isa.”

Under his guidance, the Fighting Maroons overcame those limitations and secured a historic bronze, delivering UP its maiden podium finish in UAAP MLBB.

For the university, the medal represented a breakthrough for its young esports program. For Bombi, it completed a journey that stretched from his Blacklist days to the collegiate stage he once missed.

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