Former University of the East Red Warrior Gani Stevens is bringing his talent to the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons and will be eligible to play for the team in Season 87. 

UP will be the third school that the Filipino-American Stevens is joining since he was recruited by the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers before transferring to UE where he also played one season for. 

With the development, the 6-foot-7 Stevens will be filling in the spot left by UP big man and reigning UAAP Most Valuable Player Malick Diouf after Season 86. 

The UP side has picked up its recruitment haul with the addition of high school standouts Francis Lopez, Luis Pablo and Seven Gagate to beef up its rotation after the departure of the now Japan B.League champion Carl Tamayo.  

"We already love what we have right now with sina Francis, Seven, and Luis," said head coach Goldwin Monteverde. "Adding another young, hardworking center in Gani will certainly give us more versatility in our frontcourt as we continue to build our program in the seasons to come."

Stevens, who will have a total of three years to play for UP, showed flashes of his potential with UE in the previous season and posted per game counts of 9.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists as a starter. 

The Fighting Maroons won the UAAP Season 84 championship after 36 years of drought before failing to make the back-to-back titles against the Ateneo Blue Eagles the following season.