Gerry Abadiano

High school career

Abadiano was discovered by Coach Goldwin Monteverde after competing in the Palarong Pambansa as a Grade 6 student from St. Roberts International Academy. He began playing for Adamson High School in UAAP Season 79, though most of their wins that season were forfeited due to an ineligible player. In his final game for Adamson, he scored 11 points. He then followed Monteverde to Nazareth School of National University, where he and Carl Tamayo served residency for Season 80.

With the NU Bullpups, Abadiano won the NBTC League and was named Finals Most Outstanding Player, won the 2018 Palarong Pambansa and made the Mythical Five alongside Tamayo and Terrence Fortea, and won the 2018 ASEAN School Games. In Season 81, he scored 10 points and three assists in the opener against FEU, had 14 points, five assists, two rebounds, and two steals against UPIS, and 17 points against UE. He recorded 16 points, five rebounds, and two assists against Ateneo in the first round, and 16 points in the second-round rematch.

He posted a double-double of 20 points and 15 rebounds against Zobel. The Bullpups swept the second round and finished fourth in the NBTC rankings. In Game 2 of the Finals against Ateneo, Abadiano was ejected late in the fourth quarter with eight points and nine rebounds, but NU held on to win the juniors championship for the first time since 2016.

College career

On August 1, 2020, Abadiano and Tamayo committed to the UP Fighting Maroons. Their high school coach Monteverde later resigned from NU and was named head coach of the Maroons in 2021, reuniting with several former players including Fortea and Harold Alarcon. Abadiano made his UAAP seniors debut in Season 84 as backup point guard to JD Cagulangan, often playing a defensive specialist role. He played a crucial part in the semifinal win over DLSU, and in Game 3 of the Finals, UP won on Cagulangan's game-winning shot, ending a 36-year title drought.

Abadiano also competed in the UAAP 3x3 competition that season. In Season 85, he continued as a defensive stopper and backup, occasionally scoring more, such as 13 points in a win over UE while limiting Kyle Paranada to 4-of-11 shooting. In the semifinals against NU, he scored a go-ahead basket, and UP reached the Finals but lost to Ateneo. Despite offers to transfer, Abadiano stayed with UP.

In Season 86, after missing two games due to concussion protocol, he returned with 13 points, four rebounds, and two assists in a clutch win over DLSU, hitting a midrange jumper with 1:01 left to give UP the lead. He scored 12 points in a loss to Ateneo, then a career-high 22 points in a rematch without Cagulangan and CJ Cansino.

UP made the Finals again but lost to DLSU. In the preseason, Abadiano helped UP defend its Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup title and was named Finals MVP. For Season 87, he was named team captain.

National team career

Abadiano first played for the Philippines at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup, scoring 17 points each against France and Argentina, and a team-high 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting against Canada. He contributed 15 points in the team's first win over Egypt. He also played in the 2018 FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship.