UE keeps unbeaten record

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Tournament Standings

UE 11-0

FEU-D 7-2

UST 5-4

NUNS 5-5

DLSZ 4-5

Ateneo 4-6

ADU 2-7

UPIS 0-9

Games on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum

8 a.m. -  FEU-D vs Adamson (JHS)

10 a.m. - Adamson vs NU (Women)

12 p.m. - La Salle vs UP (Women) 

2 p.m. -  Adamson vs NU (Men)

6:30 p.m. -  La Salle vs UP (Men)

University of the East stamped its dominance over a struggling Ateneo de Manila University side, walking away with a wire-to-wire 83-61 victory to tally its 11th consecutive win in the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Tournament on Saturday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. 

The win guaranteed the Junior Warriors of at least a playoff for a twice-to-beat incentive in the Final Four, should they fail to complete an elimination round sweep.

UE’s pursuit for the first-ever junior high school elimination round sweep in league history will face stiff stands from Adamson University, University of the Philippines Integrated School, and Season 86 runner-up Far Eastern University-Diliman.

“To be honest, hindi pa namin iniisip [yung elimination sweep]. We’re still one game at a time. If mangyari ‘yon, good for us. But achieving it does not mean you’re champions,” Junior Warriors head coach Andrew Estrella said. “At the end of the day, you have to work hard to win the championship.”

UE carried over its momentum from a commanding 29-8 opening period performance, relying on the trio of Jolo Pascual, Neil Garcia, and Enrico Bungar to ignite a 17-4 run in the second frame, 46-12, to send Ateneo down a game-high 34-point hole. 

Despite Ateneo doubling up on its total first half points with a 25-14 third quarter showing, UE’s first half dominance proved to be too insurmountable to overcome as the Junior Warriors still led by 20 points, 69-49, heading into the payoff period. 

The Junior Warriors sealed their 11th straight win as four straight layups by Goodluck Okebata, Ethan Oraa, and Bungar gave UE a comfortable 24-point cushion, 77-53, with less than five minutes left on the clock. 

The victory also asserted UE’s mastery over Ateneo, whom they defeated with a 70-59 first round decision last October 2. 

“Ateneo adjusted in the second half so doon kami medyo magulat, but of course, we need to adjust to that. Lagi ko sinasabi sa kanila na we have to play consistent pero of course hindi naman every time na ganon, but most of the time, we have to be consistent,” Estrella added. 

Pascual enjoyed his best game of the season with 17 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while Jared Ferreros contributed 12 points, two rebounds, and two assists. 

Oraa tallied 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals, while Garcia chipped in nine points, five rebounds, five assists, and one steal. UE’s big men also contributed significantly with Okebata chipping in eight points, seven rebounds, one assist, and one steal, and with Gab Delos Reyes contributing eight points, eight rebounds, and three blocks. 

UE looks to inch closer to an elimination round sweep when it faces Adamson on Sunday, November 17, at the Filoil EcoOil Center. 

Meanwhile, the loss sent Ateneo to its fifth defeat in six games that further dimmed its Final Four hopes by dropping to a 4-6 record, 1.5 games behind the fourth-running NUNS Bullpups. 

MVP frontrunner Zane Kallos was limited to 16 points on 7-of-17 shooting but still contributed five rebounds, four steals, and two assists, while Sky Jazul’s struggles continued with 10 points on 3-of-18 shooting to go along with three steals, two rebounds, and one assist.

Q Molina chipped in nine points on 1-of-8 shooting and six turnovers but tallied four rebounds, four assists, and one steal, while YJ Lacsamana grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds to go along with six points and two steals.

Ateneo looks to regain its winning form in a clash against the University of Santo Tomas at the same date and venue. 

The Scores:

UE (83) - Pascual 17, Ferreros 12, Oraa 10, Garcia 9, Okebata 8, Delos Reyes 8, Bungar 7, Panganiban 6, Orca 4, Dalosa 2, Mesina 0.

Ateneo (61) - Kallos 16, Jazul 10, Molina 9, Lacsamana 6, Ngo 5, Juangco 4, Dela Rosa 3, Meresen 2, Bernarte 2, Fernandez 2, Valte 1, Divinagracia 1, Ylen 0, Hwang 0, Ramos 0, Pineda 0. 

Quarterscores: 29-8, 55-24, 69-49, 83-61.