Amatov Canlas departs from UE Fencing program

c/o UAAP

When the UAAP Fencing Championships concluded last Monday at the Makati Coliseum, the University of the East once again claimed three gold trophies, asserting its dominance in a sport the program helped build from scratch.

While UE did not sweep the event for the second consecutive season, the Red Warriors remain the benchmark in UAAP fencing—a legacy shaped almost entirely by one man: Amatov Canlas.

Nearly two decades since UE stormed the fencing scene, the men’s squad extended its reign to 12 straight titles, the women’s team secured its 16th championship, the girls’ team’s dynasty was trimmed to 11, and the boys’ unit stretched its league-leading streak to 14. All of this is a testament to Canlas’s vision and relentless dedication.

Monday, however, marked Canlas’s last day—at least for now—as head coach and program head of UE Fencing. Emotions ran high as he reflected on the journey.

“Sabi ko lang na ituloy nila ‘yung dynasty na sinimulan namin dahil hindi lang naman basta-basta ‘to eh. We started from nothing, malalim ‘yung ugat nung UE. Hindi ito basta-basta champion lang, talagang from sa ‘kin pa, hanggang sa ngayon, sa present, eh talagang natuloy ‘yung pagiging dynasty namin,” said the former Red Warrior standout.

“So, pag-alis ko, kung sino man ‘yung mga papalit na coach sa ‘kin, ituloy lang nila. And ang sabi ko, maging loyal sila sa UE kasi hindi rin naman sila magiging magaling kung hindi dahil sa UE. Kumbaga, pinaghirapan sila; hindi dumating nang magaling na eh; ginawa sila ng UE.”

For Canlas, the legacy extends beyond titles. He hopes the culture he built—discipline, respect, and dedication—continues to thrive even after his departure.

“Yung respeto at kung ano ‘yung sinimulan ng UE sa UAAP. Hindi pa naman ako nagsasabing tapos na ako; nag-try lang ako ng ibang opportunity. Malay natin di ba,” he shared.

Canlas has nurtured these athletes from a very young age, some from as early as eight years old, guiding them not just toward championships, but toward national and Olympic aspirations.

“Kita mo naman ‘tong mga ‘to; hindi ko lang naman tinuruan ‘to noong high school. Eight years old pa lang hawak ko na ‘yan. Talagang tinrain ko na ‘yan, at goal ko talaga is national team. Ang goal ko talaga ay makarating sa Olympics. Yan ang mindset ng mga players ko, especially ‘pag foil. Kaya kung makita mo buong-buo talaga sila,” he said.

Education has always been equally important to Canlas. He emphasizes discipline both on and off the piste, ensuring that talent is matched by responsibility.

“Tsaka nasa academics din ako. Bata pa lang talaga, tinuruan ko na kung paano ‘yung discipline, eh. Gano’n talaga ‘yung ano nila sa ‘kin: academics and discipline. Kaya nga ako naka-produce ng Olympian because of the discipline. Kaya dalawang dekada kaming nag-champion sa UE because of the discipline na ini-impose ko sa team.

“Napakaimportante sa ‘kin ang academics at discipline, lalo na ‘pag makita kong malaki ‘yung potential ng bata. Kailangang i-guide siya nang tama. Kasi sayang ‘yung talent ‘pag hindi siya ginuide ng tama. Yun rin ang maganda sa UE, ‘pag nagkaproblema ‘yung bata, tinatawag agad sa ‘kin ng College Secretary, ng High School Principal. Kaya nga hindi kami nahihirapan sa mga national team namin, kasi gano’ng naka-support ‘yung UE management.”

Canlas will be taking his expertise and family to Australia, leaving behind a dynasty and a thriving support system. His decision, however, is rooted in family priorities rather than personal ambition.

“Well, kung ako lang naman ‘yung kinuha, hindi naman ako pupunta kung ako lang namang mag-isa. Kaya ko tinanggap ‘to kasi sinama ‘yung pamilya ko. Kumbaga, do’n ko nakita na para sa mga anak ko ‘to, para sa family ko ‘to. Kasi ba’t naman ako aalis, eh comfort zone ko ‘to? Ok naman ‘yung buhay ko dito,” he said.

“Pero nakita ko ‘yung opportunity para sa mga anak ko, sa family ko, na ‘pag pumunta ako do’n, kasama sila. Kaya susubok ako kasi ang hirap namang tanggihan, parang no-brainer ka naman, lalo pa’t Australia. Alam naman natin sa Australia; nakita naman natin ‘yung quality of life do’n. Why not, hindi natin subukan, para sa future ng mga anak ko ‘to, hindi naman ‘to para sa akin,” said the future head of the Tizona Fencing Club in Melbourne.

Beyond UE, Canlas has also shaped Philippine fencing at large, mentoring national athletes and fostering a new generation of coaches and referees.

“Sa PFA, nag-iisip talaga kami ng mga coaching seminar. Mag-i-invite kami ng mga magagaling na coaches from other countries na dadalhin rito, para continuous ‘yung learning ng coaches. Kung ako talaga, mas magpupundar ako sa coach. Kasi ‘yung coach, ‘pag may magaling na coach, at aral ‘yung coach, makaka-produce ng magagaling na fencer ‘yan. ‘’Yun ang nakikita kong dapat gawin, makapag-produce ng maraming-maraming coach na magagaling… all weapons,” Canlas shared.

“PFA ang makakapag-decide diyan kasi sila ‘yung body. Pero diyan magsisimula ‘yan: magagaling na coach at magagaling na referee. Number one ‘yan, coach and referee. Dapat mag-tandem ‘yan, para makapag-produce tayo ng Olympian. Kasi ‘pag mahina ‘yung quality, madami lang tayo. Kaya ‘yan ang pinakamahalaga diyan, ‘pag may mga ganyang opportunity, gagaling talaga ‘yung coach."

Canlas leaves behind not just champions, but a culture, a discipline, and a standard that will continue to define UE fencing—and Philippine fencing—for years to come.

UE at cusp of clinching UAAP boys' volleyball title

c/o UAAP

Games Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym
2 p.m. – UE vs NUNS (Boys)
4 p.m. – NUNS vs FEU-D (Girls)

UNIVERSITY of the East displayed tremendous composure despite losing a four-point lead in the fifth set to outlast National University Nazareth School, 25-22, 21-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-13, moving closer to ending an 11-year title drought in the UAAP Season 88 High School Boys' Volleyball Tournament, Thursday at the Blue Eagle Gym.

It can be recalled that the Junior Warriors were the ones who handed the Bullpups their first loss in the elimination round, taking a 25-23, 25-18, 25-22 sweep last October 26 that snapped NUNS’s seven-game winning streak.

The Bullpups, in contrast, needed five sets to beat the Junior Warriors in their first encounter, 20-25, 23-25, 25-20, 25-22, 15-8, on September 28.

Clarence Gianan pushed the Junior Warriors to a 13-9 lead, but the Bullpups responded with four straight points capped by a Mikhael Abut service ace to tie the match at 13-13.

Playing its third straight five-setter dating back to the final day of eliminations, UE reached match point on a Jordino Perales ace, and NUNS doused any hopes of a lifeline after Al-raquib Dais’ spike went out of bounds.

Both teams needed the full two games to reach the Final Four after losing their semis openers that disarmed their twice-to-beat advantages.

NUNS fell to University of Santo Tomas, while UE was stunned by Far Eastern University-Diliman in the opening games.

The Bullpups recovered against the Junior Golden Spikers, 25–22, 25–19, 23–25, 26–24, and the Junior Warriors outlasted the Tamaraws, 21-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-19, 15-9, last December 8 to forge a title clash.

Having endured consecutive marathon matches, the Junior Warriors have become tougher, with their eyes set on a 15th title and their first since completing an 11-peat in UAAP Season 77 (2014).

"Pinalalakas ko yung loob nila," said second-year UE coach Herbert Dizon.

Paul Roque led the Junior Warriors with a match-best 22 kills, Emmanuel Marcelino contributed 15 points and 24 receptions, while Gianan and Miguel Catanghal had 11 points each. Mharl Dullete added 30 excellent sets.

"Yung game namin, nag-contribute lahat. May mga time na naba-blangko na mga kasama ko pero gumagawa kami, humahanap kami ng paraan na maka-score at maka-contribute, individually and as a team," said Gianan.

For the Bullpups, Ragusta had 18 points, including two kills during their rally from a 9-13 deficit. Dais contributed eight blocks for a 13-point outing, while Christian Mangahoy also tallied 13 points.

UE goes for the jugular in Game 2 at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the same Katipunan venue.

Lingolingo suspended three games

 

c/o UAAP

The UAAP on Thursday announced that it is imposing a three-game suspension to Wello Lingolingo in light of the incident on Kean Baclaan that ultimately concluded his season.

Statement is as followed, as shared by the league 

VLAIR CHRISTOPHER LINGOLINGO (#7, University of the East) has been handed a three-game suspension following an unsportsmanlike foul (Criteria 2) committed last Wednesday, October 15, during University of the East’s UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Basketball game against De La Salle University.

Lingolingo will serve his suspension starting Sunday, October 19, during the Red Warriors’ matchup against the Far Eastern University Tamaraws at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, and it will also apply to the first two games of the second round.

The suspension resulted from an unsportsmanlike foul that occurred at the 4:21 mark of the fourth quarter. While the referees had already called for a jump ball, Lingolingo dove for possession and landed on the right knee of La Salle’s #13, Kean Baclaan.

Upon review, it was determined that the foul involved excessive and forceful contact made by a player in an attempt to play the ball or an opponent.

University of the East may file a motion for reconsideration regarding the suspension.

Please be guided accordingly.

Baclaan earlier revealed that he is set to sit out the remainder of the season based from the medical findings after the incident.

Lingolingo is as of the moment set to miss UE's final game of the first round against neighbors Far Eastern University on Sunday, as well as the first two games of their second round campaign, the opponents will not be known until after the end of Sunday's matches..

Full UAAP statement on UE-Ateneo Men's Football incident

c/o UAAP

Following the University of the East and Ateneo de Manila University match in the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Men’s Football Tournament last Sunday at the Ayala Vermosa Sports Hub, the UAAP Disciplinary Committee has imposed sanctions on those involved in the incident, in accordance with the PFF Disciplinary Code.

The match, which ended in a 4-3 victory for UE, was marred by controversy after the Red Warriors left the pitch following the Blue Eagles’ third goal while the game was still ongoing.

Although UE eventually returned to complete stoppage time, their walkout triggered a series of altercations involving both teams and some spectators at the venue.

As a result, the UAAP Disciplinary Committee has penalized UE with a deduction of three points in the league table.

This sanction is grounded in Article 30 of the PFF Disciplinary Code—Deduction of Points—which allows for the removal of points in current or future PFF competitions.
The Committee determined that UE’s actions breached the values of discipline, respect, and fair play that the league upholds.

UE head coach Frank Muescan has been handed a one-match suspension, to be served in the Red Warriors’ next game against Adamson University this Thursday at Vermosa.

He will also face further investigation, as it was he who ordered his players to leave the pitch and head to the dugout.

Two UE players received multiple-match bans for their involvement in the incident.

Defender Mark Maghinay was suspended for four matches after assaulting a linesman and provoking the crowd. Fellow defender Christian Tio was given a two-match ban for pushing Ateneo strength and conditioning coach Dox Delos Reyes from behind, an act deemed a serious violation of athlete conduct standards.

On the Ateneo side, Blue Eagles head coach JP Merida was sanctioned for verbally lashing out at Commissioner Rely San Agustin during the commotion.

He will serve a touchline ban in Ateneo’s upcoming game against the University of Santo Tomas, also on Thursday at Vermosa.

In addition, an unidentified member of the UE delegation—wearing a ‘Gala’ #20 Blue Manila Montet jersey—has been banned from entering both the Vermosa and UP Diliman Football Stadiums.

The individual was caught by Ayala Vermosa Sports Director Hans-Peter Smit locking the dugout gate on the fourth official, who was attempting to speak with the UE team during their walkout. The stadium ban will take effect immediately, beginning with the next match.

These sanctions were determined after a thorough review of officiating decisions, disciplinary considerations, reinforcement of match-day protocols, and the implementation of stricter crowd control measures.

The UAAP also acknowledged concerns raised about the officiating during the game.

In partnership with the PFF, referee performances will continue to be evaluated through a structured, developmental process.

The league reiterated its commitment to raising the standard of officiating, emphasizing that the goal is not only to ensure consistency but also to exceed expectations in high-stakes matches for the benefit of teams, student-athletes, and fans alike.

UE keeps postseason hopes alive over Zobel

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 Boys’ Basketball Standings

* NUNS 12-0
* UST 10-2
* FEU-D 8-4
ADU 7-5
UE 5-7
X DLSZ 4-8
x Ateneo 2-10
x UPIS 0-12

* - Final Four
x - Eliminated

Games on Sunday at the Filoil Ecooil Centre

8 a.m. - DLSZ vs Ateneo (girls’)
10 a.m. - UE vs FEU (boys’)
12 p.m. - UST vs AdU (boys’)
2 p.m. - DLSZ vs Ateneo (boys’)
4 p.m. - UPIS vs NU (boys’)

UNIVERSITY of the East leaned on clutch performances from Ethan Aguas and Lance Sabroso to eliminate De La Salle Zobel, 71-65, and keep its Final Four hopes alive in the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ Basketball Tournament, Thursday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

With two game days remaining, the Junior Warriors snapped a three-game skid to stay in the hunt at fifth place with a 5-7 record. They are now just two games behind the defending champion Adamson Baby Falcons (7-5) for the last Final Four spot.

Adamson set up the do-or-die clash between DLSZ and UE after securing a 70-66 victory over Far Eastern University-Diliman earlier in the day. However, UE will need Adamson to drop at least one of its final two games to keep their postseason hopes alive—a feat the program has not achieved in two decades.

"Mentality namin ngayon ay ‘enough is enough.’ Pagod na kaming matalo," UE head coach Karl Santos said. "Ginawa naming motivation ‘yon since may last chance pa kami. Kahit wala sa kamay namin yung chance na mag-Final Four, sabi namin, hahabulin namin yung last three games. We want to finish strong, whether we make it or not."

UE held a slim 61-55 lead after an Aguas three-pointer, but DLSZ's Bonn Daja answered with a triple of his own, and Maco Dabao followed with a layup to trim the deficit to 61-60 with 2:03 left.

Having learned from their past heartbreaks—including two buzzer-beating losses to FEU-D and UST—the Junior Warriors held their ground.

Aguas drained a long two-pointer, Sabroso banked in a triple, and added a free throw to extend UE's lead to 67-60 with just 28 seconds remaining.

Kieffer Alas tried to rally DLSZ with a layup and a three-pointer, cutting the deficit to 67-65 with two seconds left.

However, Kristoper Lagat calmly sank four clutch free throws to seal UE’s much-needed victory.

Aguas led the Junior Warriors with 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting, adding eight rebounds. Lagat contributed 15 points, three rebounds, and one steal. Sabroso, a Cebuano guard, had 14 points on an efficient 6-of-9 clip, along with two rebounds and two assists.

Edry Alejandro, despite being limited to six points on 3-of-8 shooting, made an impact with 12 rebounds, one assist, and one steal.

For DLSZ, the loss marked their sixth straight season missing the Final Four, dating back to Season 80 in 2017.

After a strong 3-1 start, the Junior Archers fell to 4-8, officially bowing out of contention.

Alas delivered a near triple-double performance with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists.

Daja chipped in 17 points, four rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block. Graduating guard Dabao struggled with his shot, finishing with eight points on 3-of-13 shooting, while JC Espinosa contributed six points, seven rebounds, five steals, and two assists.

In the other game, UST inched closer to securing a twice-to-beat advantage after dismantling UPIS, 92-72.

With Senegalese forward Racine Kane sitting out, Gilas Youth standout Carl Manding stepped up for the Tiger Cubs, tallying 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting, along with six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block.

The victory improved UST’s record to 10-2, giving them a two-game cushion over FEU-D for second place in the eight-team tournament.

"One game at a time lang kami. We’re not focusing on NU yet or the twice-to-beat advantage. Adamson muna, tsaka na namin ‘yan pproblemahin," UST head coach Manu Inigo said. "Kung ano man mangyari, gusto namin talunin yung NU para magkaroon ng saysay yung No. 2 spot namin. Kasi kung hindi namin tatalunin, parang wala rin naging advantage buong season."

UST set the tone early, racing to a commanding 60-27 halftime lead before extending their advantage to 82-45 entering the fourth quarter.

Although UPIS outscored them 27-10 in the final frame, the Tiger Cubs’ dominant start proved to be the difference.

Captain Koji Buenaflor recorded a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds, while Kirk Cañete had an all-around outing with 11 points, six steals, four rebounds, and three assists. Charles Bucsit also contributed 11 points, five rebounds, and three steals.

For UPIS, Season 86 Rookie of the Year Ethan Egea shined with 24 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block.

Jhustin Hallare added 23 points, three steals, two rebounds, and one assist, but UPIS remained winless at 0-12.

Fourth Game (Boys):

UE (71) - Aguas 23, Lagat 15, Sabroso 14, Alejandro 6, Almanza 5, Timbol 4, Bual 3, Bana 1, Diaz 0, Chua 0, Lorenzo 0, Farochilen 0, Dahino 0.

DLSZ (65) - Alas 21, Daja 17, Dabao 8, Espinosa 6, Borrero 6, Arejola 2, Atienza 0, Gubat 0, Thailand 0, Favis 0.

Quarterscores: 11-13, 29-27, 48-41, 71-65.

Fifth Game (Boys):

UST (92) - Manding 17, Buenaflor 12, Canete 11, Bucsit 11, Solon 8, Bohol 8, Cinco 7, Acido 6, VIdanes 5, Bandingan 3, Ludovice 2, Javier 2.

UPIS (72) - Egea 24, Hallare 23, Melicor 11, Tubongbanua 4, Coronel 4, Poquiz 3, Pascual 3, Addatu 0, Rosete 0, Uvero 0, Hernandez 0, Cobico 0.

Quarterscores: 34-6, 60-27, 82-45, 92-72.

Differing routes see Adamson, UE move into share of fourth

 

c/o UAAP Media Team

Games Sunday at Filoil EcoOil Centre

8 a.m. – UST vs Ateneo (Girls)
10 a.m. – AdU vs NUNS (Boys)
12 noon – DLSZ vs UPIS (Boys)
2 p.m. – FEU-D vs Ateneo (Boys)
4 p.m. – UST vs UE (Boys)

DEFENDING champion Adamson University and University of the East remain locked in a tight battle for the fourth spot in the UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Basketball Final Four race, both securing victories to open the second round, Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

The Baby Falcons escaped with a narrow 58-57 win over the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles to bounce back from their previous loss to National University Nazareth School, while the Junior Warriors cruised past the University of the Philippines Integrated School Fighting Maroons, 85-72, for their second straight victory.

With these results, both teams are tied in the standings at 4-4.

De La Salle-Zobel (3-4) is still playing against University of Santo Tomas (6-1) as of publishing.

It was a hard-fought win for Adamson, needing a clutch free throw and a crucial defensive stop to fend off the upset-seeking Blue Eagles.

“Nahirapan talaga kami. Problema kasi namin, we are so erratic—especially the bigs,” lamented long-time Adamson head coach Mike Fermin. “Yung bigs namin, we need production from them. Etong guards, given na yan.”

With 4.8 seconds left, Johnrey Abayon drew a foul from Renzo Gatmaitan and had a chance for an and-one play, but Zahir Sajili’s interference by hanging on the net resulted in an offensive violation.

Abayon then split his free throws, leaving Ateneo with one final opportunity.

Off a timeout, Jay-M Leal received the inbound pass but was forced into a turnover by Mark Esperanza as time expired, sealing the win for Adamson.

“Yung bigs namin, talagang absent sila. Sana naman may dalawa o isa sa kanila mag-step up, then we are going to be fine. We are looking for those big guys at sana mag-step up na sila this round,” added Fermin. Despite Allen Perez’s efficient 4-of-4 shooting for 12 points and eight rebounds, he struggled defensively against Leal, who finished with 12 points and nine boards.

Jireh Tumaneng, Adamson’s other big man, saw only one minute and 20 seconds of action.

Esperanza led the Baby Falcons with 13 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and three steals, while Earl Medina added 12 points and nine rebounds. Both players logged over 34 minutes on the floor.

Adamson trailed by as much as 12 points, 24-12, in the second quarter before Medina ignited a third-quarter rally, outscoring Ateneo 16-8 in the period to set up their late-game surge.

On the other hand, UE utilized all 16 players in their roster against UPIS.

With the game out of reach late in the third quarter—UE leading 68-43—second-year head coach Karl Santos opted to give his reserves valuable playing time.

“Galing kaming three straight losses tapos ngayon nakuha na namin yung back-to-back wins. Hopefully, maging confidence-booster ito heading into our game against UST,” said Santos.

“Kahit papano, medyo disappointing din kasi we wanted to have a strong finish. I wanted to play my bench sa duluhan with confidence heading nga sa next game namin. Pero again, happy pa rin ako. Panalo naman e,” he added, expressing slight frustration as the third-stringers struggled to maintain their momentum in the final 10 minutes.

Cebuano guard Lance Sabroso led UE with 14 points, six rebounds, and four assists in 24 minutes of play, while Edry Alejandro contributed 12 points and five rebounds in just 12 minutes.

Topeng Lagat and Jean Bana chipped in nine points each, as all but two UE players—Daniel Chua and Sizco Roquid—managed to score.

Both teams will face the top dogs in their next outings.

Adamson takes on league-leading NUNS on Sunday, while UE faces UST on the same day.

“Collective effort lang talaga, especially sa defensive side. We are pushing our bigs to go above their level. Kung titignan mo yung apat na teams sa ibabaw namin, magagaling talaga yung bigs. Kami yun last year. Pero hindi na tayo yun ngayon at kailangan pa namin magtrabaho,” Fermin said about facing the Bullpups, who defeated them 73-60 in the first round.

“Right now, alam natin yung kayang bigay ng UST. We’ll prepare hard because we need that game. Nagpi-peak na sila e and hopefully, sana kami rin. Definitely, we’ll take the challenge,” Santos added regarding the Tiger Cubs, who bested them 69-59 in the season opener.

Ateneo, fresh off its breakthrough win last Sunday, was led by Chris Urbina’s 12 points, five assists, four rebounds, and two steals. Lans Lagdamen added 11 points.

Meanwhile, UPIS continues to search for its first victory, with Ethan Egea and Bruce Tubongbanua leading the charge with 18 points apiece.

Egea also recorded nine rebounds and six assists.

UP greats Javi and Juan Gomez de Liaño, who currently play in the Korean Basketball League, were in attendance to support their alma mater and their younger brother, Jaime, who finished with 12 points and eight rebounds before fouling out with 30 seconds left in the game.

The Scores:

First Game (Boys)

ADU 58 - Esperanza 13, Medina 12 , Abayon 12, Perez 12, Sajili 4, Umali 3, Decatoria 2, De Jesus 0, Tumaneng 0, Artango 0, Matiliano 0.

Ateneo 57 - Urbina 12, Leal 12, Lagdamen 11, Tan 9, Gatmaitan 9, Delos Santos 2, Lacsamana 2, Asistio 0, Reyes 0, Silvestre 0, Ymasa 0.

Quarterscores: 12-16, 26-33, 42-41, 58-57.

Second Game (Boys)

UE 85 - Sabroso 14, Alejandro 12, Lagat 9, Bana 9, Timbol 6, Almanza 6, Lorenzo 5, Bual 5, Diaz 4, Diaz 4, Aguas 4, Cuevas 4, Dahino 4, Farochilen 4, Abellar 1, Chua 0, Roquid 0.

UPIS 72 - Egea 18, Tubongbanua 18, Melicor 15, Gomez de Liano 12, Hallare 6, Coronel 1, Uvero 0, Poquiz 0, Hernandez 0, Cobico 0, Pascual 0

Quartercores: 26-19, 47-36, 68-49, 85-72.

Aguas powers UE to keep them in postseason hunt

c/o UAAP Media Team

ETHAN Aguas delivered in the clutch, leading University of the East to a 56-51 victory over De La Salle Zobel and snapping a three-game skid in the UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Basketball Tournament on Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Aguas, a 17-year-old, 6-foot-4 forward from Tarlac and a standout from UE’s inaugural 16-and-under team last year, took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 of his 16 points to go along with seven rebounds. His heroics helped the Junior Warriors close out a tough first round on a high note.

After suffering a heartbreaking double-overtime loss to FEU-D and a narrow one-point defeat to NUNS, UE salvaged a 3-4 record, tying DLSZ for fifth place at the end of the first round.

“Happy for the win, finally naputol na namin yung losing streak. We’ll take it, a win is a win, masaya na kami doon. We need this win for the second round. If we really want to make it to the Final Four, I think we have to start now,” said second-year Junior Warriors head coach Karl Santos.

Trailing 36-37 at the end of the third quarter, Aguas spearheaded a 16-5 UE run to establish a 52-42 cushion with 3:25 remaining.

DLSZ, however, refused to back down. The trio of Maco Dabao, Kieffer Alas, and Bonn Daja trimmed the deficit to 52-48 with 1:49 left, but Aguas sealed the win with three crucial free throws, giving UE a comfortable 55-48 lead.

Lance Sabroso contributed 10 points, three rebounds, and two assists, while Edry Alejandro added seven points, five rebounds, and two steals in the much-needed win for UE.

The Junior Archers, on the other hand, suffered their third straight defeat, dropping to 3-4 and sharing fifth place with UE.

Alas led DLSZ with a game-high 22 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, and one block but committed five turnovers. Daja chipped in nine points, six rebounds, and two steals.

JC Espinosa added six points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block, while Dabao finished with five points, five assists, six rebounds, and one steal but struggled with six turnovers.

Meanwhile, Ateneo de Manila University finally entered the win column with an 85-73 triumph over the struggling University of the Philippines Integrated School.

Seventeen-year-old center Jay-M Leal powered the Blue Eagles to their first victory under head coach Ford Arao, tallying 25 points on an efficient 9-of-11 shooting, along with five rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and one steal.

Chris Urbina provided ample support with 15 points, nine assists, two rebounds, and one steal, as Ateneo snapped a 12-game losing streak dating back to Season 86.

Despite remaining in seventh place with a 1-6 record, Ateneo finally broke its dry spell in UAAP boys’ basketball, securing its first win since January 7, 2024, when they defeated UPIS 70-55 in the second round of Season 86.

“Masaya kasi first win ko and kailangan namin yung panalo. Pero in general, marami pa kami kailangan gawin. A win is a win, pero hindi ganoon kaganda yung panalo namin, pero we’ll take it,” said Arao.

With the game tied at 53-all after two free throws from Jaime Gomez de Liaño at the 2:27 mark of the third quarter, the Blue Eagles responded with a massive 20-4 run to seize a commanding 73-57 lead with 6:33 left in the game.

Renzo Gatmaitan added 12 points on 3-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc, along with four rebounds and two steals, while Alfonso Tan sparked Ateneo’s fourth-quarter surge, finishing with 11 points, six assists, three steals, and two rebounds.

UPIS’s struggles continued, closing the first round at 0-7 and remaining at the bottom of the eight-team standings.

The Fighting Maroons have now lost 11 straight games in UAAP boys’ basketball, dating back to January 14, 2024.

Season 86 Rookie of the Year Ethan Egea led the Fighting Maroons with 17 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals, while Rocco Melicor tallied 16 points, five assists, two rebounds, and two steals.

Gomez de Liaño also scored 16 points while grabbing 14 rebounds, dishing out two assists, and recording one steal.

Jhustin Hallare contributed 11 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals, while Bruce Tubongbanua had 11 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one steal in the losing effort.

The Scores:

First Game (Boys):

Ateneo (85) - Leal 25, Urbina 15, Gatmaitan 12, Tan 11, Delos Santos 9, Lagdamen 7, Reyes 5, Lacsamana 1, Aquino 0, Ymasa 0, Asistio 0.

UPIS (73) - Egea 17, Melicor 16, De Liaño 16, Hallare 11, Tubongbanua 11, Uvero 2, Poquiz 0, Coronel 0.

Quarterscores: 19-18, 41-36, 59-55, 85-73.

Second Game (Boys):

UE (56) - Aguas 16, Sabroso 10, Alejandro 7, Almanza 6, Bual 5, Lagat 5, Lorenzo 3, Bana 2, Timbol 2, Diaz 0, Chua 0.

DLSZ (51) - Alas 22, Daja 9, Espinosa 6, Dabao 5, Arejola 4, Borrero 3, Favis 2, Mben 0, Atienza 0, Tailan 0, Reguera 0, Alpapara 0.

Quarterscores: 14-8, 26-22, 36-37, 56-51.

Katipunan schools stumble in UAAP HS Basketball opener

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 Boys Basketball Tournament Standings

NUNS 1-0
UE 1-0
FEU-D 1-0
DLSZ 1-0
UPIS 0-1
Ateneo 0-1
ADU 0-1
UST 0-1

Games Thursday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre

8 a.m. – DLSZ vs NUNS (Boys)
10 a.m. – UE vs AdU (Boys)
12 noon – Ateneo vs FEU-D (Boys)
2 p.m. – UPIS vs UST (Boys)
4 p.m. – NUNS vs Ateneo (Girls)

UNIVERSITY of the East spoiled the head coaching debut of Ford Arao, taking down Ateneo de Manila University with an 88-80 victory to open its campaign in the UAAP Season 87 Boys Basketball Tournament on Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Second-year guard Kristoper Lagat shined to give the Junior Warriors a fitting opening to their campaign, contributing 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting to go along with six rebounds, one steal, and one block.

In the last game, De La Salle Zobel dashed University of the Philippines Integrated School’s efforts to score its first victory in over a year, leaning on the clutch heroics of Kieffer Alas and Bonn Daja in overtime to claim a gritty 79-77 win.

With the win, UE’s pursuit to break a 22-year Final Four and title drought is off to the right start under the guidance of second-year head coach Karl Santos.

“Isang pamilya kami ‘eh… Mas gutom kami ngayon kasi as much as possible, gusto namin na since nakuha na ng 16-under, kami naman. We know it’s gonna be hard, but motivation din sa amin ‘yon na may 20+ years drought, secondly, nagchampion yung 16-under team namin,” Santos said.

A blazing start to the payoff period allowed UE to establish an 11-point cushion, 80-69, with 5:45 left after a floater by Xedric Diaz and a top of the key triple from Lagat.

However, a quick seven-point spurt from Ziv Espinas and Alfonso Tan trimmed Ateneo’s deficit to four with less than 2:30 remaining.

The Junior Warriors’ comfortable start to the fourth quarter paid dividends as they withstood the Blue Eagles’ late rally, sealing the opening day victory with a layup from Diaz and two inside hits from Lance Sabroso to gain an 86-76 lead with 1:07 left.

In UE’s opening day triumph, Sabroso chipped in 14 points, eight rebounds, and two steals, while Louie Bual contributed 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Martin Almanza was the fourth Junior Warrior in double figures with 11 points, three steals, and two assists.

Meanwhile, after being limited to 10 points on 4-of-17 shooting in regulation, Alas went off in overtime by contributing six of seven Junior Archers points to go along with two rebounds in the extra period.

DLSZ took advantage of the absence of UPIS topscorer Bruce Tubongbanua in overtime, who was fouled out at the 4:36 mark, while limiting the Fighting Maroons to a woeful 1-of-6 shooting in the process.

After Jhustin Hallare trimmed the lead to one with a floater at the 2:18 mark, Alas and Daja connived for a four-point spurt, built on a triple and a free throw, respectively, to give the the Junior Archers a 79-74 cushion with 1:23 remaining.

A quick three-point spurt from Rocco Melicor kept UPIS in the 79-77 contest with 26.4 seconds left, but Season 86 Rookie of the Year Nathan Egea’s triple-double outing was spoiled as his potential game-tying layup was blocked by Daja at the buzzer.

The Fighting Maroons last won a game across both the U-19 and U-16 divisions last January 14, 2024, where they triumphed over the Junior Warriors with an 80-71 decision.

“We were expecting UP to be really hungry for a win, and then they have a new system and a new coach, so it’s really a new UP team that we’re seeing… But it’s a good win, we’ll take whatever win we can get. First game jitters were there, but good thing we held on,” DLSZ head coach Boris Aldeguer said.

Daja ended the day with a crucial double-double effort of 21 points and 15 rebounds to go along with two steals, one assist, and one block. Alas, who played his first formal game since spraining his ACL last June, tallied 16 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, and one block.

Maco Dabao chipped in 15 points to go along with five rebounds, three steals, one assist, and one block.

Ateneo center Jay Leal tallied 19 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and one block in the losing effort, while Tan scored 18 points to go along with four rebounds, four assists, and one steal.

Espinas chipped in 12 points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block, while Chris Urbina nearly tallied a double-double with eight points, 10 assists, four rebounds, and three steals.

Egea paced UPIS in the loss with a triple-double effort of 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists to go along with three steals, while Tubongbanua powered its scoring punch with 19 points to go along with nine rebounds, two steals, and one block.

Melicor tallied 15 points, eight rebounds, and one steal, while Jaime Gomez de Liaño chipped in 11 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, and one block.

The Scores:

Third Game (Boys)

UE (88) – Lagat 16, Sabroso 14, Bual 12, Almanza 11, Bana 8, Diaz 7, Lorenzo 7, Alejandro 4, Chua 2, Aguas 2, Timbol 2, Cuevas 2, Dahino 1, Farochilen 0.

Ateneo (80) – Leal 19, Tan 18, Espinas 12, Urbina 8, Delos Santos 8, Lacsamana 8, Gatmaitan 4, Reyes 2, Aquino 1, Kallos 0, Asistio 0, Ymasa 0.
Quarterscores: 25-24, 44-47, 69-62, 88-80

Fourth Game (Boys)

DLSZ (79) – Daja 21, Alas 16, Dabao 15, Favis 7, Espinosa 5, Atienza 4, Lopez 4, Reguera 3, Tailan 2, Mben 2, Arejola 0, Alpapara Jo. 0, Alpapara Ja. 0, Borrero 0.

UPIS (77) – Tubongbanua 19, Melicor 15, Egea 14, Gomez de Liaño 11, Hallare 11, Uvero 7, Coronel 0, Hernandez 0.
Quarterscores: 14-14, 31-31, 52-56, 72-72, 79-77

UE claims JHS basketball crown

c/o UAAP

AFTER 39 long years, a UAAP basketball championship is finally headed back to Recto.

University of the East seized the moment, dominating University of Santo Tomas, 78-47, in a winner-take-all Game 3 to clinch the first regular UAAP Junior High School Boys Basketball championship on Friday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.

The last time UE celebrated a basketball championship was during UAAP Season 48 (1985) when its men’s basketball team, led by legends Allan Caidic and Jerry Codiñera, brought home the crown.

The Junior Warriors last tasted high school basketball glory in Season 44 (1981), under the guidance of coach Gabriel Reyala, with standout players like Codiñera, Modesto Hojilla, and the Longalong brothers.

“Finally, after how many years. It’s important for the school and the program. As I’ve said before, this would be enough na puntahan kami ng mga players. All of the teams namin sa basketball, puntahan na,” said Junior Warriors head coach Andrew Estrella.

The Junior Warriors had been dominant all season-long, absorbing only two losses: an 81-66 defeat to the FEU-Diliman Baby Tamaraws during the eliminations and a 98-84 setback in Game 1 of the Finals against UST.

However, UE turned the series around, solving the Tiger Cubs puzzle with a hard-fought 76-70 win in Game 2 to force the decider.

In Game 3, UE broke away as early as the second quarter.

After a 15-all deadlock in the opening period, Brian Orca and Ethan Oraa spearheaded a 19-point explosion for the Junior Warriors.

Meanwhile, Gab Delos Reyes anchored the defense, holding UST to just eight points in the quarter to secure a 34-23 halftime lead.

The momentum carried on, with UE unloading a telling 9-0 run to open the second half and led by as many as 33 points, 72-39, in what Estrella described as a “perfect game.”

“It’s a perfect game. The boys wanted it. They delivered. Sa gameplan namin, hindi sila bumitaw. In short, they wanted the championship and here it is,” said Estrella.

By the midway point of the third quarter, the UE community—led by school president Dr. Zosimo Battad—was already on its feet, dancing to the beat of the UE Drummers in celebration.

“This is so sweet. This is my first time in the UAAP. Credit to the UE community and, most especially, SGA, Boss Frank, Boss Jared, and Boss Jacob (Lao) for building this team,” said Estrella. “Three months of sacrifices. We went through adversities but we rose above it.”

Also present in the game was Derrick Pumaren, the coach who gave UE its first-ever boys' basketball title back in Season 35 (1972).

"We are thankful to Manong Derrick for motivating us with a speech before we headed to the court. Dun na-realize ng mga bata that they were playing for a higher purpose," said Estrella.

Delos Reyes, a lanky forward from San Beda-Alabang, was named Finals MVP after averaging 9.3 points, 14.3 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks in the series.

He capped his stellar performance in Game 3 with six points, 16 rebounds, and three blocks.

“Siyempre po ngayong Game 3, hindi namin inisip na wala si (Andwele) Cabanero. Naglaro lang kami ng tama at sinunod lang yung coaches,” said Delos Reyes.

Oraa led UE in scoring with 13 points, while Enrico Bungar chipped in 11.

Jared Ferreros contributed nine points, with Jolo Pascual and Orca adding eight apiece. Orca also pulled down eight rebounds.

UST struggled in the absence of Andwele Cabanero, who was suspended for Game 3 after striking Neil Garcia twice during a loose ball scuffle in Game 2.

Without the Mythical Team member to stabilize the Tiger Cubs, UST shot a dismal 20.5 percent from the field, including a woeful 1-of-31 from beyond the arc.

Dustin Bathan led UST with 16 points on 6-of-19 shooting, while fellow Mythical Team member Jhon Canapi managed just 11 points on 1-of-24 shooting.

Looking ahead, 10 of the 11 Junior Warriors will move up to the 19-and-under division next UAAP season, leaving Goodluck Okebata as the lone returning player for the Junior Warriors.

The work isn’t done for Estrella, who will assist Karl Santos in the UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Basketball Tournament, which tips off on January 19 at the same venue.

“I hope this inspires our 19-and-under team,” said Estrella.

The Scores:

UE (78) – Oraa 13, Bungar 11, Ferreros 9, Pascual 8, Orca 8, Garcia 7, Delos Reyes 6, Panganiban 6, Mesina 5, Dalosa 3, Okebata 2.

UST (47) – Bathan 16, Canapi 11, Jubilado 7, Javier 5, Villacarlos 4, Castro 2, Balague 2, Lim 0, Guerrero 0.

Quarterscores: 15-15, 34-23, 54-32, 78-47.

UE forces JHS Finals decider

c/o UAAP

Game on Wednesday (TBA)

TBA - UE vs UST (JHS Finals Game 3)

TOP-SEED University of the East capitalized on an early ejection of Mythical Five member Andwele Cabanero, securing a 76-70 victory over University of Santo Tomas to force a winner-take-all Game 3 in the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Finals on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Cabanero was ejected at the 6:54 mark of the first quarter after striking Neil Garcia twice with a closed fist during a loose ball scuffle.

Despite the predicament the Tiger Cubs were in the Junior Warriors were still forced to battle against a resilient UST squad, which was fueled by the combined 62-point effort of Jhon Canapi, Miguel Jubilado, and Dustin Bathan.

As Game 3 approaches, the Junior Warriors are looking to end a 39-year UAAP basketball title drought, while the Tiger Cubs aim to capture their first UAAP high school basketball championship since Season 74 (2001).

Cabanero, who starred in the Junior Warriors' 98-84 Game 1 win with 21 points, 16 rebounds, and eight assists, will miss the decisive Game 3 due to his ejection in this game.

UE head coach Andrew Estrella expressed UE's determination, saying, "That’s the motivation: to bring UE another championship. As I’ve said, huwag kayo susuko ‘eh, and then we won, so bakit pa namin ibibigay ito? Ang dami na namin pinaghirapan, in and out the court, ito na ‘yon ‘eh. Bakit pa namin ibibigay ‘eh nandito na kami sa Game 3."

With 2:23 left in the game, UE had a slim two-point lead after a five-point spurt by Jolo Pascual and an inside basket from Gab Delos Reyes.

However, back-to-back layups by Jubilado and Canapi gave UST a 70-68 advantage with 1:44 remaining.

Canapi then committed three consecutive fouls, setting the stage for six straight free throws—four from Mav Mesina and two from Garcia—giving UE a 74-70 lead with 20.3 seconds remaining.

UST had a chance to close the gap, but Theodore Lim, who had taken most of Cabanero’s minutes, missed a crucial three-point attempt.

Mesina then hit two more free throws, sealing UE's hard-fought victory and keeping theirdream season alive.

"Ever since bata naman tayo, siguro kapag nagbbasketball, free throw is a common shot to make. I’ve made that shot more than a thousand times na, so what’s there to be scared about?" Mesina, a 14-year-old combo guard from Malabon, said.

Mesina bounced back from a tough Game 1 performance with 21 points on a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line, adding five assists, four rebounds, and one steal. He had been limited to just nine points on 3-of-12 shooting and seven turnovers in Game 1.

Garcia contributed a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, along with one assist and one steal.

Delos Reyes also posted a double-double, tallying 11 points and a game-high 21 rebounds, while Pascual chipped in eight points, eight rebounds, and two assists.

Canapi, a Mythical Team member, paced the Tiger Cubs with 21 points and 11 rebounds while Jubilado also had 21 points with nine rebounds.

Bathan finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and a steal as they look to erase this memory and complete the job on Wednesday.

The Scores:

UE (76) - Mesina 21, Garcia 13, Delos Reyes 11, Bungar 9, Pascual 8, Okebata 7, Ferreros 5, Oraa 2, Panganiban 0, Orca 0.

UST (70) - Canapi 21, Jubilado 21, Bathan 20, Castro 6, Lim 1, Balague 1, Villacarlos 0, Cabanero 0, Guinto 0.

Quarterscores: 21-19, 40-36, 56-53, 76-70.

UST sends UE at cusp of elimination

c/o UAAP

Women's Football Matches on Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium

4 p.m. - DLSU vs Ateneo

6:30 p.m. - UST vs FEU

University of the East revived its Final Four hopes following a 3-3 stalemate with fourth-running University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP Season 87 Men’s Football Tournament on Thursday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

The Red Warriors rose to eight points and -15 goal difference, just seven points behind the Golden Booters’ 15 markers and 0 GD. Both teams still have two matches left in their eliminations schedule.

“Actually, I’m proud of these players (and) proud of my team. In spite of the fact of not having enough facilities, this team will really train on a regular basis. But you know, in the game, they showed their heart and their pride,” said UE coach Frank Muescan.

Edmar Adonis’ cross met Jerome Abarca for a long-range goal in the second minute, setting a dream start for UE, but UST answered with three unanswered goals.

Chris Valderama scored at the 27th minute before Kyler Escobar fired twice as the Golden Booters suddenly found themselves with a two-goal cushion.

UE’s chances as the match progressed eventually turned into back-to-back goals bridging the interval. UST goalkeeper Miguel Abada tried to save an initial attempt on the counterattack, but the ball bounced off his right hand. Eldrin Madrid was there on the rebound and headed the ball into the goal for the Red Warriors’ second.

In the second half, the two squads figured in a back-and-forth action until the Red Warriors was given a kick from the penalty spot, which Edmar Adonis turned into the equalizer at the 77th minute.

Multiple chances for a winner went begging for UE, including a Keith Hermoso shot in stoppage time, but his shot hit the near post.

“Actually, UE is a future team. I've been with them for like 10 months and I’m looking forward for them in the next season and the rest of the season to come. Ito mag e-excel to,” Muescan added.

The Red Warriors will have their hands full against league-leading Ateneo De Manila University Blue Eagles on Thursday.

UST’s day further went south as John Mark Garcia was sent off in the 82nd minute with two yellow cards in the match.

The Golden Booters will face the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons on Sunday.

UE, FEU maintain JHS pace

c/o UAAP

Games on Saturday (Filoil EcOil Centre)

8 a.m. - NU vs FEU (Women)

10 a.m. - DLSU vs UST (Women)

12 p.m. - AdU vs Ateneo (Women)

2 p.m. - UP vs UE (Women)

5:30 p.m. - AdU vs Ateneo (Men)

University of the East edged closer to an elimination round sweep, while Far Eastern University secured the second Final Four ticket in the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Tournament on Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

The Junior Warriors moved two games away from the first-ever eliminations sweep in the division with a runaway 95-65 win against the UPIS Fighting Maroons.

Meanwhile, the Baby Tamaraws tallied their third consecutive win with a 78-61 victory against Season 86 finals archrival NUNS Bullpups to become the second team to enter the postseason.

With an average winning margin of 19 points through its 12-game streak, UE’s aspirations to sweep the eliminations will now face stiff challenges from Adamson University and FEU.

“Hindi pwede na may slow starts kami ‘eh. Dapat we have to play consistent as I’ve said. We’re in the latter part of the season and everything should be taken into consideration na small mistakes would lead you to losing. We just have to play consistent kasi all the teams will fight for their lives to beat us,” UE head coach Andrew Estrella said.

Mav Mesina, Enrico Bungar, Ethan Oraa, and Jolo Pascual joined hands for the Junior Warriors’ late 12-5 run to close the second period, turning a slim 33-26 lead to a comfortable 14-point advantage, 45-31, at the half.

While UPIS trimmed its deficit to as low as eight points in the third period, UE responded with a commanding 27-4 surge to open the payoff period, taking a game-high 33-point cushion, 95-62, to seal its 12th consecutive win.

This win was similar to the 91-44 first-round beatdown of the Junior Warriors against the Fighting Maroons last September 14.

Neil Garcia led the five UE players who scored in double figures with 16 points on 7-of-8 shooting to go along with four rebounds, two assists, and one steal, while Pascual tallied 12 points, six steals, and five assists.

Bungar also scored 12 points with six rebounds, while Kiefer Panganiban chipped in 11 points, four assists, three steals, and two rebounds. Mesina, who checked out late in the fourth due to leg cramps, tallied nine points, four assists, three rebounds, and one steal.

Coming off back-to-back wins against the DLSZ Junior Archers and the Baby Falcons, the Baby Tamaraws continued to peak at the right time to lock in their spot in the postseason.

FEU-D solidified its hold on second place after improving to a 9-2 card, while NUNS is now two games behind DLSZ for the fourth seed with a 5-7 slate.

“Alam naman natin itong NUNS na ito, masakit experience namin last year yung sa championship. Nagbigay lang kami ng statement na hindi mo na pwede gawin sa amin ulit ‘yon. May ticket na kami sa Final Four, pero yung hinahanap naming ticket ngayon, yung number two spot and walang sweep kung saka-sakali,” Baby Tamaraws head coach Muriel Garcia said.

After a tightly contested first half, FEU-D managed to turn a 41-35 lead to a dominant 19-point cushion heading into the payoff period, 61-42, after a strong 20-7 third frame performance.

Carrying over their momentum from the third quarter, the Baby Tamaraws were able to extinguish the late 16-8 run of the Bullpups to tally their ninth win in 12 outings.

FEU-D successfully exorcized the ghost of a heartbreaking Season 86 finals loss by winning both elimination matches against NUNS, which began with a 89-71 first-round victory last September 14.

Duke Santos led the Baby Tamaraws with 15 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and one steal, while Anton Lopez tallied 14 points, five assists, three rebounds, and two steals.

Prince Carino nearly had a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds to go along with two blocks and a steal, while Mark Dulin chipped in 10 points, nine rebounds, and one assist.

Bruce Tubongbanua paced UPIS in its 12th straight defeat with a double-double performance of 25 points and 11 rebounds to go along with three assists and two steals, while Jhustin Hallare contributed 22 points, six rebounds, three assists, and one steal.

Tulabut led NUNS in its third straight loss with 17 points and 11 rebounds to go along with four steals, three assists, and two blocks, while Nick Peña chipped in 11 points, six rebounds, three assists, and one steal.

Mac Tadeo contributed 10 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while Dwayne Khobuntin tallied eight points, 13 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block.

The Scores:

First Game:

UE (95) - Garcia 16, Pascual 12, Bungar 12, Panganiban 11, Ferreros 10, Mesina 9, Oraa 9, Orca 7, Delos Reyes 6, Dalosa 2, Okebata 1.

UPIS (65) - Tubongbanua 25, Hallare 22, Cobico 7, Addatu 6, Labao 3, Rosete 2, Poquiz 0, Repane 0, Baldovino 0, Gepitan 0, Lugatiman 0, Manguerra 0.

Quarterscores: 25-20, 45-31, 68-58, 95-65.

Second Game:

FEU-D (78) - Santos 15, Lopez 14, Cariño 12, Dulin 10, Pingris 8, Pasinos 6, Miranda 4, Lassiter 4, Enriquez 3, Pineda 2, Victoria 0.

NUNS (61) - Tulabut 17, N. Peña 11, Tadeo 10, Khobuntin 8, Sabareza 5, Vitug 5, Urea 3, Y. Peña 2, Quinto 0, Reroma 0, Toring 0.

Quarterscores: 16-16, 41-35, 61-42, 78-61.

UAAP upholds one-game suspension to Precious Momowei

c/o UAAP

The UAAP announced on Tuesday afternoon that a one-game suspension has been issued towards Precious Momowei.

He will be serving the suspension on Wednesday, November 13, when the University of the East faces the Ateneo de Manila University at the Quadricentennial Pavilion inside the University of Santo Tomas campus.

Said suspension is as a result of two Category 2 unsportsmanlike fouls that were assessed on the foreign student-athlete during the Red Warriors' match against UST last Saturday, November 9.

The first instance took place at 5:18 mark of the second quarter, with the second one called at the 5:07 mark of the fourth quarter. As a result of getting two such calls, Momowei was ejected from the game.

According to league rules, if a student-athlete gets disqualified, thrown out, or ejected from a game due to unsportsmanlike behavior, said individual will be prohibited from participating in their upcoming game.

It would be the second straight season that Momowei is suspended by the league, just two days off to the anniversary of said sanction. Ironically, the suspension was invoked against the Blue Eagles.

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.

Second half breakaway earns UE victory

c/o UAAP

Games today at the SM Mall of Asia Arena

8 a.m. – AdU vs Ateneo (JHS)

10 a.m. – UP vs AdU (Women)

12 noon – UST vs FEU (Women)

3:30 p.m. – UP vs AdU (Men)

6:30 p.m. – UST vs FEU (Men)

Wello Lingolingo sparked University of the East’s breakaway in the third quarter to dispose of National University, 74-58, and return to the win column of the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, Saturday.

Lingolingo was scoreless in the first half but nailed 12 points in the third period that propelled the Red Warriors to a 25-11 tally to extend their lead to a 53-35 advantage.

Precious Momowei also had a hand in that game-deciding frame as well as Rainer Maga who drilled a jumper to beat the buzzer for the 18-point margin.

UE made an adjustment after its Wednesday match-up against University of the Philippines was postponed due to Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.  Their first scheduled game was originally set last Saturday but was moved to Nov. 3.

“Actually, ‘yung postponement ng games namin, merong positive and negative sides. First, negative, kasi ang tagal namin kumbaga rusty yung players namin. Positive because the guys na medyo may mga injuries, naka-recover kami and then we gave some minutes din sa guys na hindi masyado nakakapaglaro,” said UE head coach Jack Santiago as his team went on an unexpected two-week break due to suspension of games.

Nigerian center Momowei finished with 17 points and 17 rebounds with his free throw shooting a notable improvement, going 9-of-11. Prior to this match, he was shooting 39.73 percent from the line.

Lingolingo ended up with 14 points, five rebounds, and two steals, while Ethan Galang made four triples for 12 points.

“Play hard nga tapos huwag lang kalimutan ienjoy yung laro kasi may nangyari kanina sa second quarter so nag-huddle kami, nag-regroup kami so pinagaan namin yung vibe para yung rest mag-follow,” said Lingolingo as Momowei and John Abate had an altercation in the second frame.

UE bounced back after losing to De La Salle University last time out to improve its record to 6-3, strengthening its hold of the third spot.

This victory was more decisive compared to their first round 57-51 win over the Bulldogs wherein they needed Lingolingo’s heroics late in the game to escape.

UE looks to get another win streak going on Wednesday when it battles Adamson University, still at the same Pasay venue.

NU’s struggles continued, receiving its third straight defeat to drop to 2-8 at eighth place.

Rookie Tebol Garcia led the Bulldogs with 12 points, while Jolo Manansala added 11 points and eight rebounds. They shot poorly from the field, making just 18 of their 68 attempts for 26.5 percent.

NU’s next match will be against University of the Philippines on November 3 at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

The Scores:

UE 74 – Momowei 17, Lingolingo 14, Galang 12, Maga 9, Abate 6, J. Cruz-Dumont 5, Fikes 3, Mulingtapang 2, Wilson 2, Spandonis 2, Robles 2, H. Cruz-Dumont 0, Malaga 0, Go 0, Finney 0, Jimenez 0.

NU 58 – Garcia 12, Manansala 11, Figueroa 9, Palacielo 7, Enriquez 7, Parks 3, Lim 3, Tulabut 3, Perciano 2, Santiago 1, Padrones 0, Yu 0, Jumamoy 0, Francisco 0, Dela Cruz 0.

Quarterscores: 13-6, 28-24, 53-35, 74-58.

Marvieles brace highlights UE triumph

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 87 Men’s Basketball Standings

Ateneo - 9pts (+6)

UE - 7 pts (0)

FEU - 6 pts (+6)

UP - 3pts (+2)

DLSU - 3pts (+1)

UST - 3pts (-1)|

ADAMSON- 0 pts (-11)

Men's Football Games Thursday at UP Football Stadium) 

4 p.m. – DLSU vs FEU

6:30 p.m. – UP vs Ateneo

JAM REYMariveles had a birthday to remember as he scored a brace to lead University of the East in its 3-0 dismantling of Adamson University in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Football Tournament on Sunday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium. 

Mariveles, who turned 23 years old today, broke the deadlock in the 21st minute by scoring outside the box. John Bernard Magallon then cushioned UE’s lead with a header in the 79th minute while Mariveles put the icing on the cake in the 84th minute.

Coach Franck Muescan was delighted with the celebrant’s brace, “Wow I think nag-step up si Mariveles since it’s his birthday today. I observed him since I first started sa UE, nag re-reform siya. I know that this guy has a talent but because of the kultura nagbabago. Sabi ko sa kanya he has full of potential, yung potential na yun ang nag co-contribute sa team.”

UE rose to second in the standings with seven points and will try to build on this victory when it goes up against University of the Philippines this Sunday at 4 p.m. at the same Diliman venue.

After leading the Red Warriors to their second win of the season, Muescan also expressed his belief that they could make it to the Final Four. “So, this a big boost samin. I told the boys if we lose to Adamson, it’s going to be a different story because people are hoping we could go to the top four. We made a statement that we are really pushing to be on the top four.”

Meanwhile, the Soaring Falcons almost had a chance to equalize during the 75th minute but John Sabualan’s free-kick got blocked by the wall. 

Adamson, which is bottom of the standings after its fourth loss with 0 points and a minus -11 goal difference, will face the University of Santo Tomas this Sunday at 6:30 p.m. on the same pitch.

Lingolingo bails out Red Warriors against Adamson

c/o UAAP

Wello Lingolingo went wild on a Sunday night. 

Lingolingo lifted University of the East to a 63-62 victory with an off-the-bank jumper at the buzzer over Adamson University in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Tournament at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. 

Lingolingo grabbed the offensive board off a Nico Mulingtapang badly-missed jumper in the waning seconds of the match then went up for the shot that extended the Red Warriors’ magical winning streak to five games for a 5-2 record at the end of first round, good for solo third. 

“‘Yung winning streak namin is giving me pressure talaga. I’m so happy with the guys at least ngayon nakikita ko talaga na ‘yung character namin starting to build and talagang ayaw magpatalo ng mga bata,” said UE head coach Jack Santiago. 

“Sinasabi ni coach Jack na hindi dapat hinahanap ‘yung laro, hayaan mo ‘yung laro ‘yung pupunta sayo. ‘Yun lang yung ginagawa ko wala akong tinitake na forced shot. ‘Yung game-winning shot hindi ko talaga inexpect, parang nandoon lang talaga ako tapos na-make ko lang salamat kay God,” said Lingolingo the hero. 

 "Yung nakita ko yung oras, hindi ako nag-dalawang isip. Luckily, pumasok yung shot," said Lingolingo

This winning run was UE’s longest since the Derrick Pumaren-coached squad in Season 77 also won five consecutive back in 2014. 

After playing the entire game against Ateneo last Wednesday, Nigerian center Precious Momowei this time played all but 23 seconds, leading the Red Warriors with 14 points, 11 rebounds, three steals, and a block. 

Devin Fikes added 11 points built on three triples while Lingolingo, a marksman from deep, found success inside, going 3-of-5 inside the arc to end up with 10 points, five rebounds, and three steals. 

Ethan Galang also made his return after missing last game due to a knee injury, contributing 10 points on a perfect shooting from the field, making all four of his attempts. 

Adamson squandered another double-digit lead after University of the Philippines came back from 22 down last time out, sliding the team down to 3-4 at solo fifth. 

Mathew Montebon paced the Soaring Falcons with 12 points, four assists, and two rebounds, while Matt Erolon chipped in 11 points. 

Cedrick Manzano and Royce Mantua also produced nine points apiece in the loss. 

The Scores:

UE 63 – Momowei 14, Fikes 11, Lingolingo 10, Galang 10, J. Cruz-Dumont 8, Mulingtapang 4, Maga 4, Abate 2, Wilson 0, Spandonis 0, H. Cruz-Dumont 0.

AdU 62 – Montebon 12, Erolon 11, Manzano 9, Mantua 9, Yerro 7, Calisay 6, Fransman 5, Anabo 2, Ojarikre 1, Barasi 0, Barcelona 0, Dignadice 0, Ramos 0, Ignacio 0.

Quarterscores: 18-23, 34-39, 48-50, 63-62

UE at cusp of JHS first round sweep

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Tournament Standings

UE 6-0

FEU-D 5-1

UST 4-2

Ateneo 3-3

DLSZ 3-3

NUNS 2-4

ADU 1-5

UPIS 0-6

Games Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena

8 a.m. – FEU vs UST (JHS)

9:45 a.m. – Ateneo vs NU (JHS)

11:30 a.m. – FEU vs UST (Women)

1:30 p.m. – Ateneo vs NU (Women)

4:30 p.m. – FEU vs UST (Men)

6:30 p.m. – Ateneo vs NU (Men)

UNIVERSITY of the East weathered a third-quarter surge by Ateneo de Manila University, emerging victorious with a 70-59 win to edge closer to a first-round sweep in the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Tournament on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Fresh off a dominant wire-to-wire victory over inaugural champion NUNS, the Junior Warriors faced a tougher challenge this time around. 

Ateneo's resilience tested UE, particularly in the second half, but the Junior Warriors dug deep in the payoff period to secure a 6-0 record, maintaining their hold on the top spot in the eight-team field.

“Their composure was tested. For me, what happened, it will be very healthy for us. Itong season na ito, at least naramdaman nila yung different situations on how to stop that or paano makakarecover sa ganon na runs,” said Junior Warriors head coach Andrew Estrella.

Earlier, University of Santo Tomas rebounded with a commanding 87-53 victory over the University of the Philippines Integrated School to take solo third in the standings. 

Leading by as many as 16 points midway through the third quarter, UE saw their advantage dwindle as Ateneo mounted a fierce 13-2 run to cut the lead to just three points, 52-49, heading into the final period. 

However, the Junior Warriors responded with a decisive 14-2 counterattack, led by Kiefer Panganiban, Jared Ferreros, Enrico Bungar, and Ethan Oraa, to dash Ateneo’s comeback hopes and remain unblemished.

“I’m happy with the position we’re in right now. For me kasi, it’s one game at a time. We only prepare for the team na kung sino makakalaban namin. Every game demands full preparation for us,” Estrella added as they take on the Adamson Baby Falcons for their final assignment for the round on Sunday, 8 a.m. at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Enrico Bungar led the charge for the Junior Warriors, finishing with 17 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while also posting a game-high plus-22 rating in just under 28 minutes of action. 

Filipino-Nigerian Goodluck Okebata also contributed a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Meanwhile, UST's dominant win over UPIS came after some critical defensive adjustments. 

“Prepared din yung UP ‘eh, lalo na sa man-to-man defense namin, kaya nagadjust kami kaagad. Medyo maganda yung depensa nung mga players ko, pero pagbalik kami sa tao-tao, hirap talaga kami, kaya adjustments talaga kailangan,” said Tiger Cubs head coach Noli Mejos.

Andwele Cabañero spearheaded the Tiger Cubs' fourth win in six outings, with a double-double of 27 points and 17 rebounds, adding four assists and two steals. 

Jhon Canapi, the 2024 Junior MPBL 14-and-under MVP, chipped in 21 points on 5-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc.

For Ateneo -- which fell to a tie for fourth with idle De La Salle-Zobel with a 3-3 record, Zane Kallos, son of former Adamson Lady Falcons and San Sebastian head coach John Kallos, led his team with 19 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and four steals. 

Sky Jazul, who had been averaging 16.0 points, 4.75 assists, and 2.25 steals through five games, was limited to just eight points on 3-of-8 shooting but still managed five assists and five steals.

Jhustin Hallare, who started the game with a division-record 18 points in the first quarter, was held in check by UST’s defense for the remainder of the game. He ended with 25 points on a tough 2-of-14 shooting clip in the final three quarters. 

Bruce Tubongbanua also struggled offensively, managing just 10 points on 21.1-percent shooting but contributing with 17 rebounds, eight assists, and four blocks.

The Fighting Maroons remained winless in six outings.

The Scores:

First Game 

UST (87) – Cabañero 27, Canapi 21, Bathan 9, Guinto 8, Lim 7, Castro 6, Jubilado 4, Villacarlos 3, Balague 2, Duenas 0, Yu 0, Guerrero 0, Javier 0, Aguilar 0.

UPIS (53) – Hallare 25, Tubongbanua 10, Gepitan 6, Cobico 4, Poquiz 3, Rosete 3, Addatu 2, Manguerra 0, Labao 0, Repane 0, Lugatiman 0, Baldovino 0.

Quarterscores: 25-29, 48-32, 63-42, 87-53

Second Game 

UE (70) – Bungar 17, Okebata 11, Delos Reyes 10, Oraa 8, Garcia 8, Mesina 6, Panganiban 4, Ferreros 4, Orca 2, Pascual 0.

Ateneo (59) – Kallos 19, Lacsamana 11, Jazul 8, Juangco 6, Ngo 5, Molina 4, Bernarte 2, Pineda 2, Ramos 2, Velte 0, Meresen 0, Dela Rosa 0, Divinagracia 0, Ylen 0, Fernandez 0, Hwang 0.

Quarterscores: 21-9, 40-20, 52-49, 70-59

Suarez equalizer denies UE victory

c/o UAAP

Women's Football Matches on Saturday at the UP Diliman Football Stadium

2 p.m. — DLSU vs UST

4:30 p.m. — UP vs Ateneo

A Gabe Suarez equalizer denies the University of the East a chance to secure back-to-back victories in the UAAP Season 87 men's football tournament on Thursday afternoon at the UP Diliman Football Stadium.

The 80th minute screamer of a direct free kick actually hit the crossbar first, before it went in to the benefit of La Salle.

UE had gone ahead in first half stoppage time as Nicho Sumanoy's cross found Mark Maghinay to score what turned out to be their only goal of the match.

Both teams had chances to steal the victory and three points in the final few minutes, but they eventually will have to do with sharing the spoils in this one.

The result, coupled with their victory over the University of Santo Tomas on Sunday, allowed them to secure the early lead in the double-round robin competition with four points.

Coach Frank Muescan noted that while the first half of the game was executed according to plan, fatigue in the second half affected the Red Warriors' performance.

"Well yung first half namin according to the plan na execute very well," Muescan said. "Malayo pa naman yung season we need to go back to the drawing board and discuss with my staff and my players para ma-regroup," he added.

His DLSU counterpart Alvin Ocampo praised his opposition. He says, "We had a slow start and yung confidence ng UE is high, because they are coming off a win against UST. Good thing we were able to score one sa set piece pa rin. At least it's a point given."

Ocampo adds, "We have still time to recover on our rescheduled match against Ateneo on Oct. 3."

UE will seek to solidify their positioning atop the league when they face off against last season's losing finalists Far Eastern University, also on October 3.

The league is set to take a break after today's matches with the Philippines' participating in the AFC U20 Qualifying in Thailand starting September 25.

UE stuns FEU-D to win third straight in JHS basketball

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Standings

UE 3-0

FEU-D 2-1

DLSZ 2-1

UST 2-1

Ateneo 2-1

NUNS 1-2

UPIS 0-3

AdU 0-3

Games Saturday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum

8 a.m. – NUNS vs UST (JHS)

9:45 a.m. – Ateneo vs AdU (JHS)

11:30 a.m. – NU vs UST (Women)

1:30 p.m. – Ateneo vs AdU (Women)

4:30 p.m. – NU vs UST (Men)

6:30 p.m. – Ateneo vs AdU (Men)

UNIVERSITY of the East pulled off a massive win on Wednesday, stunning last season's finalist and perennial high school powerhouse Far Eastern University-Diliman with an 82-74 victory to claim sole possession of the top spot in the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Boys’ Basketball Tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Coming into the game, both the Junior Warriors and the Baby Tamaraws were undefeated, the only remaining unbeaten teams in this newly elevated 16-and-under competition.

"Malaki siyang factor pero for me, ito ay para sa program namin. Hopefully, throughout the tournament, makakuha pa kami ng mas maraming panalo para mas maraming players ang pumunta sa program namin, hindi lang sa juniors kundi pati sa Men’s and Women’s teams—sa buong basketball program ng UE," said Junior Warriors 16U head coach Andrew Estrella.

"Pero of course, hindi porke’t FEU ang tinalo namin, okay na 'yun. We have to instill in the kids na mahaba pa ang tournament na ‘to. Pero definitely, this is a good boost para sa program na tinatayo namin," he added.

Behind the stellar performances of Gab Delos Reyes, Enrico Bungar, and Ethan Oraa, the Junior Warriors surged early and carried their momentum into the final quarter, building a commanding 70-49 lead.

However, the Baby Tamaraws mounted a fierce comeback.

Denden Enriquez knocked down a three-pointer and followed it up with a layup, trimming the lead to just five, 79-74, with 1:45 left on the clock.

The momentum seemed to shift further in FEU’s favor after an inbound violation was called on UE’s Kiefer Panganiban. But crucial misses by Enriquez and Mark Dulin, coupled with a clutch basket from Neil Garcia, sealed the win for the Junior Warriors.

“Charge it to experience, don’t be complacent. Even though we had a big lead and we knew FEU’s strength and ability to come back, we just stayed composed,” said Estrella.

Delos Reyes, a transferee from Lourdes School QC, led the Junior Warriors to their third straight win with 18 points, 15 rebounds, four blocks, and one steal.

Bungar, a holdover from last season's bronze-medal squad, added 14 points and nine rebounds, while San Beda College-Alabang transferee Panganiban and Iloilo native Oraa each contributed 11 points.

FEU-Diliman fell into a four-way tie for third place with a 2-1 record, joining De La Salle-Zobel, Ateneo de Manila University, and University of Santo Tomas.

CP Miranda, son of FEU basketball operations head and PBA legend Denok Miranda, paced the Baby Tamaraws with 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

All-around guard Anton Lopez added 11 points, seven assists, three rebounds, and three steals, while lanky forward Prince Cariño was limited to just nine points and three boards.

Meanwhile, defending champion National University Nazareth School secured its first win of the season with a wire-to-wire 94-76 victory over University of the Philippines Integrated School.

“We’re far from done. Hindi pa ako totally satisfied. Though there’s improvement game by game, we can’t be satisfied. Kailangan pagtrabahuhan pa natin," said Bullpups head coach Kevin de Castro, as his Bullpups continue to rebuild after the graduation of key Bullpups Shaun Lucido, Rob Celiz, and Mot Matias to senior high school.

The Bullpups dominated every aspect of the game, shooting 49.3 percent from the field and outrebounding UPIS’ undermanned nine-man squad, 51-32.

They led by as many as 29 points, 82-53, late in the third quarter.

Chester Talabut, a returning Bullpup from last season's championship team, led the way for NUNS with 24 points on 71.4 percent shooting, along with nine rebounds, four steals, and three assists.

Nick Peña and David Sabareza contributed 15 and 14 points, respectively, as the Bullpups improved to 1-2.

Despite UPIS’ Tubongbanua dropping a game-high 33 points on 13-of-22 shooting, and Jhustin Hallare adding 29 points, the Fighting Maroons remained winless with a 0-3 record, tying Adamson for last place.

The Scores:

First Game

UE (82) – Delos Reyes 18, Bungar 12, Panganiban 11, Oraa 11, Ferreros 10, Garcia 6, Orca 5, Okebata 5, Pascual 3, Mesina 1.

FEU-D (74) – Miranda 16, Lopez 11, Enriquez 10, Pasinos 10, Cariño 9, Dulin 8, Diaz 6, Adriano 2, Santos 2, Lassiter 0, Pingris 0, Victoria 0, Pineda 0.

Quarterscores: 25-16, 49-33, 67-49, 82-74

Second Game

NUNS (94) – Tulabut 24, N. Peña 15, Sabereza 14, Y. Peña 11, Khobuntin 8, Tadeo 6, Gutierez 6, Vitug 5, Urea 3, Toring 2, Reroma 0, Maranan 0.

UPIS (76) – Tubongbanua 33, Hallare 23, Addatu 9, Cobico 4, Rosete 1, Gepitan 0, Lugatiman 0, Baldovino 0, Labao 0.

Quarterscores: 32-24, 63-42, 82-56, 94-76