UST, NU complete MLBB group stage sweeps

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 87 MLBB Standings

Group A
UST 3-0 (9pts)
FEU 2-1 (6pts)
AdU 1-2 (3pts)
Ateneo 0-3 (0)

Group B
NU 3-0 (8pts)
DLSU 2-1 (7pts)
UE 1-2 (3pts)
UP 0-3 (0)

*Final Four

Games on Friday at the Quantum Skyview Deck, Gateway 2
11 a.m. - NU vs FEU
1:30 p.m. - UST vs DLSU
4:30 p.m. - Finals

University of Santo Tomas and National University secured the top seeds in their respective groups with dominant performances on the final day of the UAAP Season 87 Esports tournament group stages, Thursday at the Quantum Skyview Deck of Gateway 2 Mall in Araneta City.

The Teletigers completed a perfect sweep in Group A, capping their run with a hard-fought 2-0 win over the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

“Of course I told the team na maganda nga na nag 6-0 kami, we are the top of our group pero hindi pa tapos yung laban eh. As of now, we don’t know who we’re up against pero we just have to stay extra focused, stay determined, stay humble,” said Teletigers head coach Miggy Arayata.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs overpowered the UP Fighting Maroons with a clean 2-0 sweep to finish with eight points atop Group B heading into the semifinals.

“Hindi muna siguro namin iniisip yung finals kasi dadaanan pa namin yung semis eh, parang one step at a time lang kami. Then also yung momentum na nakuha namin from the group stage, dadalhin namin for tomorrow," said Bulldogs head coach Carlo Balanquit.

The semifinals kick off on Friday at 11 a.m. with NU taking on the FEU Tamaraws Esports, followed by the clash between UST and the DLSU Green Aces at 1:30 p.m. The Finals will take place at 4:30 p.m.

All matches will be broadcast live on the Pilipinas Live app and the UAAP Varsity Channel.

Calvin Ortega, UST’s breakout rookie, showcased his mechanical prowess in the opening game, with his signature Fanny pick tallying 10 kills and three assists in 16 minutes and 32 seconds of action.

Ateneo attempted to break UST’s rhythm in the second game, debuting Estes and Masha in the tournament to force a potential decider.

Early on, the strategy seemed to pay off, as Aaron Sze’s Masha led the charge with four kills and two assists. However, UST’s experience and composure turned the tide with a pivotal four-man takedown following an attempted base siege by Ateneo at the 17:50 mark.

Benjamin Lukban sealed the win and earned MVP honors for the game, with his Irithel posting six kills and 11 assists to complete the sweep.

Despite facing a winless opponent, NU maintained its high level of play and dismantled the Fighting Maroons in both games.

“I’m very pleased naman sa performance namin today. Props to UP, pinakita parin nila yung best nila in spite na eliminated na sila. Hindi naman kami nakampante. Sa totoo nga, nag-review kami ng mga games nila, tyaka may mga dineny kaming mga picks para sa kanila na ginamit namin ngayong araw,” Balanquit shared.

NU snowballed early in the opening game, capitalizing on two quick deaths from David Sañejo within the first two minutes. The Bulldogs built a massive 13,000 gold lead in just 10 minutes. James Blas was named MVP after a standout performance on Luo Yi, finishing with 13 assists and six kills.

NU carried the momentum into the second game, where an unconventional Freya jungle pick led them to a swift 10-minute and 25-second win.

Meanwhile, Far Eastern University clinched the second seed in Group A after a gritty sweep of Adamson University.

Justine Wage powered the Tamaraws to victory in Game 1 with his Harith delivering nine kills and eight assists in 23 minutes and four seconds. He followed it up with another MVP-worthy outing in Game 2, recording nine takedowns and seven assists to send FEU to the semifinals against NU.

Completing the Final Four cast, De La Salle University knocked out defending champions University of the East with a convincing 2-0 sweep.

Gabriel Sanchez led the charge for the Green Aces, registering eight kills and eight assists without a single death in the 21-minute and 59-second opener. La Salle then closed out the series with the fastest game of the tournament so far—just 9 minutes and 59 seconds—behind Joshua Tating’s Suyou, who tallied seven kills and one assist.

La Salle, UST seek inaugural UAAP ML:BB crown

Games Saturday at the Hyundai Hall, Arete Ateneo

10 a.m. - DLSU vs NU (Group A)

11:30 a.m. - UE vs UST (Group B)

1 p.m. - Ateneo vs FEU (Group A)

2:30 p.m. - AdU vs UP (Group B)

The rivalry between the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and De La Salle University (DLSU) is set to reignite as the UAAP Esports Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Tournament kicks off Saturday at Hyundai Hall, Arete Ateneo in Quezon City.

However, the two teams will have to go through the rest of the field before getting to face off.

La Salle will kick off its UAAP Esports MLBB campaign against National University at 10:00 a.m. in Group A. Meanwhile, UST will debut against the University of the East at 11:30 a.m. in Group B.

In other Group A action, Ateneo will face Far Eastern University at 1:00 p.m., while Adamson will go up against the University of the Philippines to close out the day at 2:30 p.m.

UST's Teletigers are coming into the tournament with momentum, having recently won the Smart University Clash 2024 championship.

They also claimed the Alliance Games Metro West title, where they bested formidable opponents, including DLSU's Viridis Arcus, the FEU Tamaraws Esports, the UE Zenith Esports, the Adamson Falcons, and NU Bulldogs.

Despite their success, UST knows the competitiveness of the UAAP and refuses to let their guard down.

"I think La Salle is one of the top contenders. They have some really good players and have been winning for some time in the collegiate scene as well," said Ignacio, an alumnus of UST who is currently part of the casting talent pool of the MLBB Professional League (MPL) Philippines.

"We're really training hard. We're continuously studying the game, especially may recent patch na kaka-implement lang. That is where we get our confidence in believing that we have what it takes to take the crown."

DLSU’s Viridis Arcus, long considered kings of the MLBB collegiate scene, took major championships in 2023 before UST dethroned them earlier this year.

However, La Salle reclaimed supremacy just two weeks ago, winning the Collegiate Center for Esports Season 4 title.

With their recent success, they remain a formidable force, especially with former MPL Philippines player and Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Kenneth Villa now at the helm.

The stakes are high, with the top two teams in each pool advancing to the Final Four on Wednesday, August 21.

Catch all the action on One Sports’ YouTube channel, Pilipinas Live, the Varsity Channel, and One Sports.

UAAP eSports set for launch

Seated L-R: Ateneo Student-Athlete Services Assistant of the Office of College Athletics Trina Aligada, Ateneo UAO Assistant Director for Facilities Jennifer Saret, UAAP Executive Director Rene Saguisag, Jr., Ateneo Athletics Director Emmanuel Fernandez, UAAP eSports Operations Head Ades Amorato, UAAP Season 87 eSports Commissioner Monique Monasterio. Standing are the different coaches and student athletes competing in the inaugural UAAP eSports Tournament.

The much-talked about inaugural edition of eSports in the UAAP will finally take place this coming Tuesday, August 13.

Initially proposed during Season 85 by then-Board of Managing Directors representative Francis Diaz, and originally scheduled to take place at the end of UAAP Season 86, it is now set to kick off things for the hosting of the University of the Philippines in Season 87, with an initial classification of "special events."

Serving as the sub-host for the competition is Ateneo de Manila University, as illustration of their commitment towards innovation and inclusivity.

Ateneo's BoMD representative Emmanuel Fernandez shares, "Through the years, the UAAP has expanded with new events like beach volleyball, poomsae, and 3x3 basketball. This shows that the UAAP will adapt."

Tournament Commissioner Monique Monasterio says, "The goal this season was to be as inclusive as possible and give students many chances to participate, so we decided to include popular titles from different platforms." She adds, "As you know, there are many esports titles, and narrowing it down was definitely a challenge, but the UAAP is committed, so there will be more chances to join for those whose game of choice hasn’t been selected yet."

Matches are set to take place at Areté Ateneo, with three games comprising the inaugural edition: NBA2K24, Valorant, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. All eight member-institutions will be fielding participants in all three games.

The first two games will commence at the Doreen Fernandez Black Box and Hyundai Hall, respectively, while Hyundai Hall will host ML:BB on August 17-21.

NBA2K24 will be a 16-player tournament split into two pools, with each university having two student-athletes. The top two of each pool will advance into the Final Four.

Valorant splits the eight schools into two groups: Group A will have La Salle, FEU, Adamson, and Ateneo. Group B will have UST, UP, NU, and UE.

ML:BB is split into FEU, NU, Ateneo, and DLSU for Group A and UST, UP, UE, and Adamson in Group B.

Both of these game will have a best-of-two format, with three points for a win and a point for a tie. Top two teams will advance into the Final Four, with a best-of-three format in place for all postseason matchups.

With all of this, Monasterio expressed her excitement for the competition: "As someone who’s been a ‘gamer’ since I was a kid, I can hardly believe how much esports and gaming have grown as an industry. I feel incredibly lucky to not only witness it but to be a part of its history and the many ‘firsts’ in the Philippines. The feeling is surreal, and it gives me a lot of joy and hope that this is only the beginning for esports in the UAAP. Expect bigger and better things to come!"

UAAP Executive Director Atty. Rene Saguisag Jr. notes about the tournament's significance. "This event continues the league’s commitment to evolving with the times while also playing a vital role in nurturing future national athletes," he says.

The tournament will be broadcast on these specific platforms: One Sports (both on television and on its YouTube channel), the UAAP Varsity Channel, and Pilipinas Live!.