The tournament commences with a double-round robin of eliminations, where the four teams with the best records advance to the semifinals, with the two top seeds clinching the twice-to-beat advantage.

Due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, NCAA Season 97 meant to be played in 2021 was postponed to early 2022, and the juniors' tournament was cancelled.

Prior to 1997, when the NCAA had, for most part of its history, six teams, it employed a split season format.

In cases of tie, a playoff game will be played to determine which team won the round.

There was only one round of eliminations, and a play-in tournament was held for teams that finished third to sixth; after that, the regular Final Four format was used.

It was a double victory for the Muralla-based cagers as they dominated in winning the Jrs and Srs NCAA Basketball Championship that year.

Basketball, as the most popular sport in the Philippines, receives the most attention from the press and the sports-minded public.

San Beda University leads the overall tally with 45 basketball titles, followed by Letran with 33.

The current champions are the Mapúa Cardinals (seniors), and the Letran Squires (juniors).

Players of all nationalities were eligible for all awards, until NCAA Season 95 (2019), where a separate category was made for foreigners.

Lim Eng Beng of the De La Salle Green Archers currently holds the most points scored in an NCAA seniors' game when he scored 55 points in the 1974 season as he led De La Salle Green Archers to the championship.

[7] In 2009, Joshua Saret of the JRU Light Bombers scored 89 points against the AUF Baby Danes to shatter the all-time high mark set by ex-teammate Keith Agovida at 82 points on September 5, 2008, against the Malayan Red Robins.