FEU-DIliman kickstarts UAAP U16 second round with nail-biter over La Salle-Zobel

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 89 Junior High School Boys’ Basketball Standings
NUNS 7-0
FEU-D 6-2
UE 5-2
DLSZ 5-3
UST 3-4
UPIS 2-5
AdU 1-6
Ateneo 0-7

Games Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena
8 a.m. – NUNS vs UE (16U)
10 a.m. – AdU vs UE (Women)
12 p.m. – UP vs DLSU (Women)
2:30 p.m. – AdU vs UE (Men)
6 p.m. – UP vs DLSU (Men)

Far Eastern University-Diliman asserted its dominance over De La Salle Zobel, 82-76, to claim its third straight win in the UAAP Season 89 16-and-under boys' basketball tournament on Saturday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

With the victory, the Baby Tamaraws moved to solo second in the standings with a 6-2 record to open the second round, extending their winning streak to three games — the second-longest active streak in the tournament.

FEU-D had previously defeated DLSZ, 86-76, in the first round.

“Actually, very happy we’re in the number two spot right now. But we need to be better, and we need to increase our defensive stamina kasi mediyo nagco-collapse kami kapag nalalamangan kami,” said FEU-D head coach Muriel Garcia.

“Sabi ko sa mga player ko, keep your composure. Masyado kasing mainit yung Rye Villaruz at Enzo Purugganan. Gradually, na-adjust namin ‘yung defensive scheme namin, pero ready naman kami doon,” he added.

Nicus Calma spearheaded the Baby Tamaraws' early surge, putting the Junior Archers in a 20-15 hole before DLSZ mounted a late second-quarter comeback.

With two minutes left in the first half, Enzo Purugganan took charge of a 12-2 run that erased a 10-point deficit and sent the Junior Archers into the break tied with the Baby Tamaraws.

Both teams continued to trade baskets in a tightly contested third quarter, with FEU-D holding a two-point lead in the closing seconds. Purugganan then drained a triple to swing the lead in La Salle's favor, 61-60, heading into the final frame.

FEU-D refused to back down, however, as Andres Cruz's layup with 1:46 remaining put the Baby Tamaraws back on top, 74-73.

The Baby Tams then closed the game with a decisive 10-0 run, holding the Junior Archers scoreless until Fonzie Mercado knocked down a triple with one second left as FEU-D sealed the 82-76 victory.

“Para sakin, pinractice naman namin ‘yun. Palagi naman sa isip ko. Lagi ko po yun ineensayo para sa laro, pagdating sa shooting, parang basic na lang,” said Calma, who shot 50 percent from the field in the win.

Calma led the Baby Tamaraws with 16 points, while Griffin Barlan posted a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Bernard Alsola added 11 points, including the dagger three-pointer that put the game away with 42 seconds remaining.

Cruz chipped in 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists.

FEU-Diliman will look to extend its winning streak when it faces Ateneo de Manila University next Thursday, October 15, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Meanwhile, the Junior Archers, who had previously won three straight games, dropped to fourth place with a 5-3 record.

Villaruz paced La Salle Zobel with a game-high 22 points and six rebounds, while Purugganan contributed 13 points and Mercado added 11.

The Junior Archers will seek their first win of the second round when they face the University of the Philippines Integrated School, also next Thursday.

The Scores:

FEU–D 82 - Calma 16, Barlan 13, Alsola 11, Cruz 10, Ira 8, Mampao 7, Samonte 6, Maghinay 5, Isip 3, Garcia 2, Madrigal 1.

DLSZ 76 - Villaruz 22, E. Purugganan 13, Mercado 11, Dizon 6, Quillo 6, Santiago 6, I. Purugganan 4, Enriquez 4, Paceno 2, Noel 2, Francisco 0.

Quarterscores: 20-15, 41-41, 60-61, 82-76.

Bullpups win streak now at 22 at JHS

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 89 Boys’ 16U Basketball Standings

NUNS 6-0
DLSZ 4-2
UE 4-2
FEU-D 4-2
UST 3-3
UPIS 2-4
AdU 1-5
Ateneo 0-6

Games on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena

8 a.m. - NU vs. AdU (Women)
10 a.m. - Ateneo vs. UP (Women)
12 p.m. - FEU vs. DLSU (Women)
3 p.m. - UST vs. UE (Men)
5:30 p.m. - FEU vs. DLSU (Men)

Defending champion National University Nazareth School overwhelmed Adamson University, 107-73, to keep its spotless record intact in the UAAP Season 89 16-and-under basketball tournament on Tuesday at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City.

It was the Bullpups’ sixth straight win of the season and their 22nd consecutive victory dating back to last year.

Andrie Lopez, a 5-foot-10 forward from Tagum City, set a new season-high with 30 points on 14-for-23 shooting from the field. The Tagum City native also came up with an equally impressive defensive feat, recording eight steals in the contest.

“Happy po ako kasi ngayon lang po ako nakapaglaro sa UAAP at nakuha ko ‘yung puntos na ganyang kalaki,” Lopez said.

Jessy Arellano also delivered a solid performance for the Bullpups with a double-double of 15 points and 15 rebounds, while Kobe Genido finished with 15 points and seven assists.

Aaron Dalanan and Martin Macoy rounded out NUNS’ double-digit scorers with 10 points apiece.

NUNS led by as many as 43 points, 102-59, in the fourth quarter.

The Bullpups scored 47 points off the Baby Falcons’ 36 turnovers, while their defense limited Adamson to 27 fewer field-goal attempts than NUNS.

After building a 21-point lead in the second quarter, the Bullpups remained relentless and poured in 30 points in the third period alone.

Earlier, De La Salle Zobel came away with a statement win over the University of the East, 68-54.

Fresh from an 86-57 home victory over the UPIS Junior Fighting Maroons last Saturday, the Junior Archers continued their upward climb.

“We lost two in a row, so I think that game against UP on our home court was a good way to gain our momentum back and to work better as a team,” said Rye Villaruz.

DLSZ improved to 4-2, forcing a three-way tie with UE and the FEU-D Baby Tamaraws for second place in the standings.

Enzo Purugganan led La Salle with a game-high 16 points, six rebounds, and three assists.

“In the first half, I felt like we were still trying to get our rhythm. In the second half, I knew that I needed to go all out so we could get the win,” added Villaruz, who scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half.

The Junior Archers pulled away in the third quarter, taking a 13-point lead into the final period, 59-46, with Purugganan and Villaruz powering the surge.

UE was held to single-digit scoring in the third quarter as La Salle stretched its advantage.

The Junior Red Warriors went 0-for-20 from three-point range, becoming the first team this season to go scoreless from beyond the arc.

La Salle also held UE to its lowest scoring output of the season.

Austin Delos Santos was notably brought out of the game on a stretcher following an apparent back injury after colliding with an opponent while diving for the ball with 3:48 left in the first quarter.

Adamson slipped to seventh in the standings with a 1-5 record.

Jaden Roxas paced UE with a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds, while Kurt Mercado added 12 points in the loss.

Four Baby Falcons finished in double figures, led by Kobe Edrada with 19 points. Zach Caintic and Henri Subido chipped in 12 points each, while Carl Espiritu finished with 10.

The Scores:

Third Game:

DLSZ 77 - E. Purugganan 16, Villaruz 15, I. Purugganan 11, Enriquez 8, Mercado 6, Santiago 6, Dizon 2, Quillo 2, Paceno 2, Francisco 0, Noel 0, Tabu 0.

UE 69 - Roxas 24, K. Mercado 12, Dizon 7, Mallabo 6, Ancheta 5, Aguilar 5, J. Mercado 4, Pontipedra 2, Velayo 0, Sena 0, Delos Santos 0, Redulfa 0.

Quarterscores: 21-22, 42-36, 59-46, 68-54.

Fourth Game:

NUNS 107 - Lopez 30, Genido 15, Arellano 15, Dalanan 10, Macoy 10, Flores 7, Geron 6, Tundag 5, Enriquez 4, Cano 3, Pangan 2, Osorio 0, Garcia 0, Dizon 0.

AdU 73 - Edrada 19, Caintic 12, Subido 12, Espiritu 10, Delos Santos 4, Bulan 4, Cads 4, Maycong 3, Timtiman 3, Gayatin 2, De. Sepnio 0, Dw. Sepnio 0, Thompson 0.

Quarterscores: 25-15, 57-36, 87-49, 107-73.

NUNS secure third straight win in UAAP U16 Basketball

c/o UAAP Media

UAAP Season 89 Junior High School Basketball Standings

NUNS 3-0
FEU-D 2-0
UE 2-1
DLSZ 2-1
UST 1-2
UPIS 0-2
Ateneo 0-2
ADU 0-2

Games on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena
8 a.m. - NUNS vs UPIS (Boys’ 16U)
10 a.m. - DLSZ vs FEU-D (Boys’ 16U)
12 n.n. - AdU vs Ateneo (Boys’ 16U)
3 p.m. – Ateneo vs UE (Men)
5:30 p.m. – DLSU vs UST (Men)

National University Nazareth School seized the solo lead in the UAAP Season 89 boys’ 16-and-under basketball tournament after edging erstwhile unbeaten De La Salle Zobel, 92-88, on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Bullpups improved to 3-0, moving ahead of the Junior Archers, who dropped to 2-1, while the Far Eastern University-Diliman Baby Tamaraws remained at 2-0. NUNS also extended its winning streak to 19 games, dating back to its championship run in Season 88 last year.

Despite the victory, the defending champions’ performance left head coach Leo Pujante frustrated, as he stressed the importance of maintaining consistent effort throughout the game.

“Hindi kami pwede mag-relax,” said Pujante. “Hindi natatapos yung game sa first half, sa first two quarters dahil may third and fourth pa. Kaya kailangan mag-start kami ng strong sa third. Yun pa naman ang sinabi ko eh, diba, start strong third quarter. Yun pala kabila ang start strong.”

The Junior Archers, who opened the season with two straight wins following a winless campaign last year, faced their toughest challenge of the tournament against the defending champions.

The Bullpups came out firing, building a 25-point lead at 46-21 after Chandler Cano converted a layup with 4:28 remaining in the second quarter.

DLSZ responded emphatically in the third period. Fonzie Mercado, Andrei Francisco, Ice Purugganan, and David Dizon spearheaded the comeback, helping the Junior Archers pull even at 57-all midway through the quarter.

NUNS regained control in the fourth, with Jessey Arellano, Arnold Flores, Elijah Javier, Dwyane Enriquez, and Aaron Dalanan combining to give the Bullpups an 82-67 advantage with 5:12 left in the game.

The Junior Archers refused to go quietly, however, as Ice Purugganan, Mercado, Enzo Purugganan, Rye Villaruz, and James Enriquez trimmed the deficit to 84-82 with 2:27 remaining.

Flores, Andrie Lopez, and Arellano then delivered the decisive blows, joining forces in a 7-0 run that pushed NUNS ahead, 91-82, with 1:30 left and effectively sealed the victory.

Although the Bullpups remain unbeaten, Pujante said his team is determined to prove that it can defend its title even without last season’s standout Moussa Diakite.

“Siyempre iba last year, we had Moussa Diakite. This year we have to prove na hindi kami nag-champion dahil kay Moussa,” said Pujante.

The coach also lauded Arellano, a rookie from Antipolo City who led NUNS with 26 points, 18 rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks.

“The way he plays — tatlong laro na — ’yan ang mga stats ni Moussa last year, di ba,” said Pujante.

Flores added 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists, while Dalanan and Javier chipped in 13 and 10 points, respectively, to join Arellano in double figures for NUNS.

Villaruz paced DLSZ with 18 points, followed by Ice Purugganan with 17 and Mercado with 13.

Both teams return to action on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. NUNS will face UP Integrated School at 8 a.m., followed by DLSZ’s clash with FEU-D at 10 a.m. Adamson University and Ateneo de Manila University will close the triple-header at 12 noon.

The Scores:

NUNS 92 — Arellano 26, Flores Jr. 14, Dalanan 13, Javier 10, Mayor 9, Cano 6, Enriquez 5, Lopez 5, Macoy 4, Genido 0, Dizon 0.

DLSZ 88 - Villaruz 18, I. Purugganan 17, Mercado 13, Quillo 9, Dizon 8, Enriquez 6, E. Purugganan 6, Paceno 6, Francisco 5, Noel 0.

Quarterscores: 29-16, 48-37, 69-63, 92-88.

Tiger Cubs snap Baby Tams 24-game streak in UAAP U19 Boys 3x3 Basketball

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 88 High School 3x3 Basketball Standings

19U Boys’
UST 3-0
NUNS 2-1
FEU-D 2-1
DLSZ 2-1
UE 1-2
ADU 1-2
UPIS 1-2
Ateneo 0-3

16u Boys’
FEU-D 3-0
UST 2-1
Ateneo 2-1
DLSZ 2-1
ADU 1-2
UE 1-2
NUNS 1-2
UPIS 0-3

University of Santo Tomas took solo lead in the UAAP Season 88 19-and-under 3x3 basketball tournament after pulling off two thrilling wins on Tuesday at Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City.

The Tiger Cubs ended the 24-game winning streak of defending champions FEU-Diliman Baby Tamaraws with a 21-18 victory to open their day, before following it up with a 21-16 win over the DLSZ Junior Archers. With those results, UST remained the only unbeaten team in the tournament, which is supported by Wilson Philippines and Ayala Malls and sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

Kirk Cañete led the charge against FEU-D, going a perfect 4-of-4 from the field, including 2-of-2 from beyond the arc, finishing with 10 points, while Joaqui Ludovice added seven.

Ludovice then took over against DLSZ, finishing with nine points, while Jettlee Melano and Cañete chipped in five points apiece.

“Happy po kami as a team kasi nagtulong-tulungan kami. Lahat ito, pinaghandaan kami,” said Ludovice, the 5-foot-9 guard who is in Grade 11 but will age out of the league’s high school competitions in UAAP Season 89. “Pero hindi pa kami ganoon kasaya kasi hindi pa namin naabot yung pinaka goal namin, which is yung championship. Happy kami pero hindi pa kami kuntento.”

For Ludovice, winning the 3x3 tournament would be a perfect cap to their high school run after finishing sixth in the 5-on-5 competition last March.

“Sineseryoso namin ito kasi ito yung comeback namin from 5-on-5. UAAP pa rin ito at parehong championship pa rin ang pinaglalabanan dito,” said Joaqui, the younger brother of former San Beda Red Lion Yvan Ludovice.

The middle of the standings remains tightly packed, with FEU-D, National University Nazareth School, and De La Salle-Zobel all holding 2-1 records.

Cabs Cabonilas powered FEU-D with 11 points and 11 rebounds in a 21-13 bounce-back win over Ateneo.

Meanwhile, University of the Philippines Integrated School leaned on the duo of Jhustin Hallare and Bruce Tubongbanua, who both scored nine points, in a 22-20 stunner over NUNS. However, NUNS responded later in the day with a 21-11 rout of Adamson.

Niño Ferrer then scored a deuce in overtime to lift DLSZ to a 20-18 win over Ateneo, helping the Junior Archers rebound.

Adamson, UE, and UPIS are all at 1-2, while Ateneo remains winless in the division.

In the 16-and-under division, defending champion Ateneo—coming off a 21-17 win over UE earlier in the day—saw its 10-game winning streak snapped after FEU-Diliman pulled off a 21-15 victory.

Prince Cariño dominated the match, finishing with 13 points and eight rebounds.

The Baby Tamaraws also cruised in their first game of the day, defeating Adamson 21-13 behind nine points from Dwayne Enriquez and seven from Cariño to move to 3-0 in the division.

Ateneo, UST, and DLSZ are all at 2-1, while Adamson, UE, and NUNS sit at 1-2. UPIS remains winless.

The Junior Tiger Cubs also went 2-0 for the day, scoring wins over NUNS (21-16) and UPIS (21-13).

Miguel Jubilado and CJ Tabbuga scored eight and seven points, respectively, against the Bullpups, while Tabbuga added nine points and Dave Regala contributed seven points and nine rebounds against the Fighting Maroons.

DLSZ, which started the day with a 21-20 escape over UPIS, suffered a 19-15 upset loss to NUNS—the Bullpups’ first win of the tournament.

Junior Archers head trainer Joshua Webb said his squad needs to experience both highs and lows to grow in the competition.

“Just a few tweaks and adjustments here and there, but that’s going to come. 3x3 is a different animal from 5-on-5, and it’s our job to teach them that,” said Webb, a DLSZ legend and former Philippine-ranked 3x3 player during his stint with Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3.

The Junior Warriors finally broke through with their first win, edging the Adamson Baby Falcons 19-17 in overtime as James Mesa nailed the game-winning deuce.

The tournament will resume on Thursday, with the high school girls’ competition also set to begin on the same day.

Bullpups force decider in UAAP HS Boys Basketball Finals

c/o UAAP

Game on Monday at the Blue Eagle Gym
3 p.m. - FEU-D vs NUNS

Shaun Lucido refused to let National University Nazareth School go down without a fight.

The 6-foot, Grade 11 guard dropped 25 points, leading the Bullpups to an 80-59 win over the Far Eastern University-Diliman Baby Tamaraws and forcing a winner-take-all match in the UAAP Season 88 High School Boys’ Basketball Tournament on Thursday at the Blue Eagle Gym.

Lucido, the inaugural MVP of the Junior High School tournament back in UAAP Season 86 (2024), got off to a scorching start, scoring eight points in the first 10 minutes.

By halftime, he had already poured in 17 points on five triples, helping the Bullpups take a lead that reached as high as 45-29.

“Sobrang gutom na gutom kami kasi matagal na po talaga naming pinagtratrabahuan ito,” said Lucido, an 18-year-old native of Legazpi City, Albay. “Tatlong sunod na finals appearances na kami, natalo kami sa unang dalawa.

“Talagang motivation namin is bigyan si coach (Kevin de Castro) ng championship at para rin kay Sir Fulton (Sy, former team manager).”

The decider is set on Holy Monday at the same Katipunan venue.

In the second half, the rest of the Bullpups followed Lucido’s lead, firing on all cylinders to keep FEU-D at bay.

Malian big man Moussa Diakite, the division’s Rookie of the Year, delivered a thunderous jam to give NUNS a 77-57 lead with 2:09 remaining. In a tribute to NU great Danny Ildefonso, Diakite celebrated with a “raise the roof” gesture, thrilling half of the 2,105 fans in attendance.

Diakite finished with 10 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks. Kurl Figueroa added 10 points and seven rebounds, Corian Cabantog contributed nine points and eight boards, while Mot Matias orchestrated the offense with 10 assists and five points.

“Actually, coming into this game, sabi ko sa mga players ko, naubusan ako ng motivation sa inyo, si Lord na bahala mag-motivate sa inyo,” said De Castro, who suffered Game 3 heartbreaks against Adamson in Season 86 and UST last year. “So, very thankful ako, and credit sa coaching staff na meron ako. Talagang grabe yung inputs nila at the same time yung mga players.”

Cabs Cabonilas, the reigning MVP of the division who posted 19 points, 16 rebounds, and two blocks in FEU-D’s 77-73 Game 1 win last Sunday, added 18 points, 12 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks in Game 2.

Kean Esperanza, who overcame a first-half injury, was the other Baby Tamaraw in double figures with 13 points.

Assan Gaye and Sam Hall, who scored 12 points each in Game 1, were limited to just three and one point, respectively.

The Scores:

NUNS 80 - Lucido 25, Diakite 10, Figueroa 10, Cabantog 9, Cartel 8, Natinga 6, Matias M. 5, Juan 4, Matias R. 3, Bouzina 0, Celiz 0, Timbang 0, Tulabut 0.

FEU-D 59 - Cabonilas 18, Esperanza 13, Burgos 8, Cagurungan 4, Cariño 4, Sohm 4, Gaye 3, Enriquez 2, Hall 1, Santos J. 1, Santos 1, Rañeses 0, Alagaban 0, Dagcutan 0, Dulin 0.

Quarterscores: 18-14, 45-31, 63-51, 80-59.

Bullpups stun Ateneo to earn share of second in High School Basketball

c/o UAAP

Games on Sunday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium
8 a.m. - Ateneo vs UST (Girls)
10 a.m. - Ateneo vs UE (Boys)
12 p.m. - AdU vs FEU-D (Boys)
2 p.m. - NUNS vs UST (Boys)
4 p.m. - UPIS vs DLSZ (Boys)

Shaun Lucido caught fire from beyond the arc at the perfect moment as National University Nazareth School exacted revenge against Ateneo de Manila University, 81-78, to climb to a share of second place in the UAAP Season 88 Boys’ Basketball Tournament on Sunday afternoon at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.

Trailing by three at 74-71 with 1:55 left, Lucido — who had missed his first four three-point attempts — sank two consecutive triples that propelled the Bullpups to a 77-74 lead with less than a minute remaining, effectively completing NUNS’ comeback from a lopsided 63-86 first-round loss to the Blue Eagles last January 22.

It was a day of comebacks, as co-captain Charles Esteban and Nigerian center Ola Ajani rallied defending champion University of Santo Tomas in the clutch to stun the University of the East, 60-57, marking a strong return to the win column.

With the results, NUNS and Ateneo are now tied at second in the standings with identical 6-2 records, while UST tied UE for sixth place with 3-5 slates.

Far Eastern University-Diliman, which ended the first round with a 6-1 slate, is currently facing De La Salle-Zobel as of publishing.

“Alam ko struggling siya ‘eh — 0-of-4 sa three-points — sabi ko lang sa kanya, itira niya lang, papasok din yan. Timely baskets, back-to-back three-points, ‘yon yung nagdala sa game namin — yung tapang niya,” Bullpups head coach Kevin de Castro said.

 “Shaun is Shaun ‘eh, given na ‘yon. Siya talaga yung primary guy namin sa offense, pero kailangan niya matutunan dumepensa,” he added.

The Blue Eagles had stayed in control earlier as two Ziv Espina layups and a Renzo Gatmaitan triple built a 73-66 lead with 5:55 left. But the Bullpups, behind a Mot Matias layup and a Chad Cartel triple, cut the deficit to 73-71 with 3:46 remaining.

With Noah Banal making only one of his three free throws, Lucido seized the moment, hitting back-to-back triples that gave NUNS a crucial 77-74 lead with 46.7 seconds left.

From there, the Bullpups played the foul game, with Matias, Lucido, and Corian Cabantog each converting a free throw to seal the final score and NUNS’ sixth win in eight games.

Lucido led NUNS with 23 points, eight rebounds, and two assists, while Malian center Moussa Diakite contributed a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds, plus one steal. Cartel added 12 points, five rebounds, three assists, and one steal, while Kurl Figueroa chipped in 10 points, six rebounds, and one steal. Matias nearly posted a double-double with nine points, nine rebounds, four steals, and two assists.

For Ateneo, Ziv Espina paced the team with 18 points, one rebound, one assist, one steal, and one block, while Unri Madrangca scored 18 points on six triples, adding three steals, one block, and one rebound. Banal finished with 15 points and four rebounds, while Nigerian center Jude Eriobu posted a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds with five blocks.

In the earlier game, the Junior Warriors appeared poised to dominate the Tiger Cubs, as two triples from Jamal Diaz gave UE a nine-point, 54-45 lead with 6:30 remaining. But UST showed its championship poise in the clutch.

Esteban scored four points before Jetlee Melano made back-to-back layups, and team captain Kirk Canete converted a triple to pull the Tiger Cubs within 57-56 with 78 seconds left.

Esteban’s heroics continued, as he made another layup and forced a turnover on UE’s Ethan Aguas with 31.9 seconds left, setting up Ajani for a dagger floater that extended UST’s lead to 60-57 with 9.5 seconds remaining.

The Junior Warriors had a chance to force overtime, closing the game with a 15-3 run, but Aguas and Mhico Abellar missed separate attempts for the game-tying triple. The victory boosted UST’s Final Four hopes.

“Very satisfied ako na nakuha namin yung panalo, and nag-step up si Ola and si Charles, kasi sabi ko nga, missing link talaga sila doon sa veterans ko nung first round. Sa second round, good start pinakita nila kaagad na kailangan nila tumulong at kaya nila tumulong,” Tiger Cubs head coach Manu Iñigo said.

Ajani finished with a dominant double-double of 13 points and 16 rebounds, plus one steal and one block, while Esteban had 11 points, three rebounds, two steals, and one block. Simon Pulongbarit added 10 points, four rebounds, and one steal, and Melano contributed nine points, three steals, two rebounds, and one block. Canete ended with six points, six rebounds, four assists, and four steals.

For UE, Diaz was the only double-digit scorer with 14 points, five rebounds, and three steals, while Abellar finished with eight points, two rebounds, and one assist. Aguas was limited to six points on 2-of-7 shooting with nine rebounds, while Sizco Roquid was held scoreless on four attempts but added eight rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.

The Scores:

First Game:

UST (60) - Ajani 13, Esteban 11, Pulongbarit 10, Melano 9, Canete 6, Canapi 5, Ludovice 3, Bathan 3, Sta. Maria 0, Lapastora 0, Vidanes 0, Candare 0, Bohol 0.

UE (57) - Diaz 14, Abellar 8, Timbol 7, Aguas 6, Pascual 6, Edoukou 5, Lorenzo 5, Braga 4, Bual 2, Roquid 0, Delos Reyes 0, Oraa 0.

Quarterscores: 12-22, 27-31, 43-48, 60-57.

Second Game:

NUNS (81) - Lucido 23, Diakite 16, Cartel 12, Figueroa 10, M. Matias 9, Cabantog 6, Bouzina 3, Juan 2, R. Matias 0, Natinga 0.

Ateneo (78) - Espinas 18, Madrangca 18, Banal 15, Eriobu 13, Leal 9, Gatmaitan 3,Kallos 2, Kaw 0, Lacsamana 0.

Quarterscores: 21-22, 45-47, 62-66, 81-78.

Lady Bullpups snap UST's 10-game streak, completes first round sweep

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 88 Girls' Basketball Tournament
NUNS 3-0
UST 2-1
DLSZ 1-2
Ateneo 0-3

After four lopsided and heartbreaking losses, National University Nazareth School finally cracked the code in solving defending champion University of Santo Tomas.

The Lady Bullpups stormed out of the gates by scoring the first 16 points of the game and later weathered anxious moments in the third period to secure a breakthrough 74-62 victory over the Junior Growling Tigresses, to sweep first round of the UAAP Season 88 Girls’ Basketball Tournament on Sunday afternoon at the Adamson Gym in Manila.

Prior to the contest, NUNS — which joined the division in Season 87 — had absorbed four straight losses to UST in UAAP girls’ basketball, with an average losing margin of 16.5 points per game.

More importantly, the triumph kept the Lady Bullpups on top of the four-team field with a pristine 3-0 win-loss record, while also snapping UST’s (2-1) 10-game winning streak dating back to its perfect championship run in Season 87.

“Yung dinedevelop ko kasi sa mga bata, yung pagiging mature nila — ’yon yung kailangan namin. Kailangan kung ano yung mga lapses namin last year, ’yon yung mga kailangan namin tuunan ng pansin para makuha namin ito — at nakuha nga,” NUNS head coach Ai Lebornio said.

“Yung lahat ng experience namin from Brunei to Manila Meet to mga tune-up games namin, binalik ko sila doon after ng third quarter ’eh. Nakuha namin yung kumpyansa namin doon dahil walang imposible hangga’t may oras,” she added.

Aubrey Lapasaran and Zaydhen Rosano set the tone early as NUNS raced to a 16-0 lead and built a comfortable 47-30 advantage at halftime.

The Lady Bullpups hit a rough patch in the third quarter, however, as they allowed the Junior Golden Tigresses to pour in 26 points while being limited to just eight on 2-of-12 shooting, entering the fourth quarter trailing by one, 66-65.

UST appeared poised to extend its momentum by scoring the first four points of the payoff period, but NUNS refused to let a historic breakthrough slip away.

The Lady Bullpups responded with a decisive 13-point run — highlighted by back-to-back Rosano layups and a KJ Badajos floater — to reclaim control and build a 68-60 cushion with 4:46 remaining.

From there, UST struggled to find answers against NUNS’ late surge, as the Lady Bullpups tacked on six more points — capped by two consecutive Bri Katigbak layups — to seal the comeback victory and the final scoreline with 29.9 seconds left.

Lapasaran led the charge for the Lady Bullpups with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and two steals, while Rosano delivered a stellar all-around performance of 14 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, and five steals.

Badajos added 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Ruiza Olmos and Katigbak contributed eight and seven points, respectively.

On the other side, Pia Petalcorin was the lone double-digit scorer for the Junior Growling Tigresses, finishing with 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting to go along with two rebounds and one steal.

Season 88 Elite Team member Riri Perez was held to eight points on 1-of-14 shooting with four turnovers, while Indonesian center Koukou Talla tallied eight points, 11 rebounds, one steal, and one block.

The Scores:

NUNS (74) - Lapasaran 17, Rosano 14, Badajos 11, Olmos 8, Katigbak 7, Singson 6, Mallari 4, Agad 4, Sales 2, Onate 1, Luzana 0.

UST (62) - Petalcorin 15, Pinuela 8, Perez 8, Talla 8, Oczon 6, Anacan 6, Labay 4, Insoy 4, Abrantes 3, Townes 0, Hew 0.

Quarterscores: 24-9, 47-30, 55-56, 74-62.

Adamson ends Ateneo undefeated run in UAAP HS Basketball

c/o UAAP

Games on Sunday at the Adamson Gym

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

Jarl Artango and Chrys Gomez came through in the clutch as Adamson University stunned erstwhile-unbeaten Ateneo de Manila University, 77-73, to notch its third win in the UAAP Season 88 Boys’ Basketball Tournament on Thursday morning at the Filoil Centre in San Juan.

Gomez sank a timely midrange jumper that pushed the Baby Falcons’ lead to 76-70 with 2:09 remaining, setting the stage for consecutive turnovers by the Blue Eagles. Artango then sealed the upset with a dagger free throw at the three-second mark.

Meanwhile, Cabs Cabonilas put on a dominant display, tallying 21 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks as Far Eastern University-Diliman cruised to its fourth straight win with a 79-61 dismantling of De La Salle Zobel.

The contrasting victories leave FEU-D sharing first place with Ateneo, both holding 5-1 records, while Adamson returned to the win column emphatically, improving to 3-3 in their penultimate first-round outing.

“The game plan today was to limit their import, kaya lang 27-27 pa rin ‘eh. Ang back-up plan lang namin was to try to limit their other players, we were able to do it naman. Offensively, sabi ko lang attack, attack, attack palagi,” Adamson head coach Mike Fermin said.

“This win comes with maturity talaga. We’re just pounding them and instilling in them na dapat every game or every training, you treat this like your last. Ang lagi lang namin iniisip, wala kami sa top four ngayon. ‘Yon nag-ffuel sa amin to be better,” he added.

Ateneo had clawed back from a 53-39 deficit to trail 61-58 heading into the fourth quarter. But the Baby Falcons opened the payoff period with a decisive 10-4 run — capped by a floater and two free throws from Artango — to restore a 71-62 lead with 6:13 left.

The Blue Eagles stayed within striking distance, as Jude Eriobu’s free throw, a Jay-M Leal layup, and a Noah Banal triple cut the gap to 76-73 with 2:12 left. Adamson, however, leaned on its defensive identity in the endgame to deny Ateneo any further comeback.

After Banal and Leal missed separate three-point attempts, Artango stole the ball from Ziv Espinas, and Noah Bautista followed with a pickpocket against Banal, keeping the pressure on. Ateneo resorted to fouling, with Artango sinking his first free throw before intentionally missing the second to prevent the Blue Eagles from gaining another clear shot from beyond the arc.

Artango finished with 24 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three steals, while Gomez contributed 13 points, five steals, two rebounds, and one assist. Bautista added 10 points, five rebounds, three blocks, two assists, and one steal, with Mac Jenodia and Fran Flores chipping in eight points each in the hard-fought victory.

For Ateneo, Eriobu led the way with 27 points, 27 rebounds, four blocks, and one steal, followed by Banal with 11 points, six rebounds, and one assist. Espinas added 11 points and seven rebounds, while Leal contributed nine points, five assists, four rebounds, one steal, and one block.

In the earlier game, De La Salle Zobel had erased an early 27-10 deficit to trail 41-33 at halftime, but FEU-D responded with a dominant third quarter. JB Cagurungan opened the second half with eight straight points before Cabonilas, Marc Burgos, and Khean Esperanza led a 22-4 run to stretch the Baby Tamaraws’ lead to 63-37.

That third-quarter surge proved decisive. A five-point spurt from Cabonilas, including a triple and putback, along with a Cagurungan three-pointer and Esperanza layup, kept the Junior Archers down 73-57 with 3:01 remaining.

“They made a run, pero I think we did our job defensively. Medyo nawalan lang ng discipline because we had a lead. Medyo nawalan kami ng discipline on shot attempts and selection. Nung third quarter, binalikan namin ‘yon na we have a good lead, kaya we cannot keep on shooting,” FEU-D head coach Mike Reyes said.

Burgos finished with 11 points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block, while Cagurungan added 11 points on three triples, with five rebounds and one block. Esperanza contributed 10 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and two steals, while Pat Sohm rounded out FEU-D’s balanced attack with six points and three rebounds.

For DLSZ, Maco Dabao was limited to 16 points on 6-of-21 shooting but added six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block. Nigerian center Yusuf Mikailu delivered a double-double with 11 points, 16 rebounds, five blocks, and one steal.

The Scores:

First Game:

FEU-D (79) - Cabonilas 21, Burgos 11, Cagurungan 11, Esperanza 10, Sohm 6, Raneses 4, Hall 4, Carino 4, Gaye 4, Alagaban 4, D. Santos 2, J. Santos 0, Enriquez 0, Dagcutan 0.

DLSZ (61) - Dabao 16, Mikailu 11, Favis 7, Arejola 5, Borrero 5, Ferrer 5, Atienza 4, Llamas 4, Luna 3, A. Alpapara 1, O. Alpapara 0, Reyes 0, Tan 0, Dimayuga 0.

Quarterscores: 21-10, 41-33, 63-41, 79-61.

Second Game:

AdU (77) - Artango 24, Gomez 13, Bautista 10, Jenodia 8, Flores 8, Frogoso 6, Iledan 4, Babad 3, Garcia 1.

Ateneo (73) - Eriobu 27, Banal 11, Espinas 11, Leal 9, Madrangca 5, Gatmaitan 4, Kaw 4, Kallos 2, Lacsamana 0, Reyes 0, Jazul 0.

Quarterscores: 22-26, 47-36, 61-58, 77-73.

La Salle-Zobel throttles Ateneo for solo third spot in UAAP Girls Basketball

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 88 Girls Basketball Tournament Standings
NUNS 2-0
UST 2-0
DLSZ 1-2
Ateneo 0-3

Games on Thursday at the Filoil Centre
9 a.m. -  FEU-D vs DLSZ (Boys)
11 a.m. - AdU vs Ateneo (Boys)
1 p.m. - NUNS vs UE (Boys)
3 p.m. - UST vs UPIS (Boys)

De La Salle Zobel reasserted its dominance over rival Ateneo de Manila University, 101-21, closing the first round of the UAAP Season 88 Girls’ Basketball Tournament on a high note Sunday afternoon at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.

Eager to bounce back from a two-game skid against University of Santo Tomas and National University Nazareth School, the Junior Lady Archers relied on the combined efforts of Apyang Dulay, Sofia Martinez, and Bing Padigos for a commanding 50-10 first-half performance that set the tone for the rest of the game.

Dulay finished with 18 points, nine steals, four rebounds, and one assist, while Martinez added 15 points, seven steals, five rebounds, and three assists, helping the Junior Lady Archers claim sole possession of third place in the four-team field and improve their record to 1-2.

“I think this is a big step for us dahil yung confidence ng mga bata, bumalik. Nung previous games kasi namin, 30 or 50 points yung lamang ng kalaban. Mas masarap maglaro pag ganitong version na ng La Salle yung lumalabas sa amin,” DLSZ head coach Louie Fernandez said.

The Junior Lady Archers, who have won all their encounters with the Blue Eagles since the inception of high school basketball in 2019, wasted no time dictating the tempo. They opened with a dominant 26-4 first quarter, and consecutive baskets by Ima Navarro and Ching Ching Gales closed the second quarter, giving DLSZ a commanding 50-10 halftime lead.

The story continued in the third quarter as a midrange jumper by Martinez, a Gales inside basket, and two consecutive Dulay layups extended DLSZ’s lead to 73-15 heading into the final period—an advantage Ateneo could not overcome.

Padigos contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, five steals, two assists, and one block, while Navarro added 13 points, 12 rebounds, two steals, and one assist.

Gales finished with 10 points on 5-of-10 shooting, eight rebounds, six steals, and one assist, while Ice Gerona came one point shy of a double-double with nine points, 10 rebounds, three steals, and two assists.

For Ateneo, Tyler Templo scored 14 of the Blue Eagles’ 21 points, along with five rebounds, four steals, and one block, as the team continues to search for its first-ever UAAP girls’ basketball win since the division was inaugurated in Season 82.

The Scores:

DLSZ (101) - Dulay 18, Martinez 15, Padigos 14, Navarro 13, Gales 10, Gerona 9, Winrar 8, Sanares 6, Contreras 4, Ogario 2, Cuaresma 2, Roque 0.  

Ateneo (21) - Templo 14, Ablang 4, Doque 2, Gozum 1, Molina 0, Ebao 0, Palmiery 0, Dalanon 0, Mariano 0, Vejerano 0, Trillo 0, Madamba 0.

Quarterscores: 26-6, 50-10, 73-15, 101-21.

Ateneo winning streak in HS Basketball extended to five

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 88 Boys’ Basketball Tournament Standings
Ateneo 5-0
FEU-D 4-1
NUNS 3-2
DLSZ 3-2
UE 2-3
AdU 2-3
UST 1-4
UPIS 0-5

Boys Games on Thursday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre
9 a.m. -  FEU-D vs DLSZ
11 a.m. - AdU vs Ateneo
1 p.m. - NUNS vs UE
3 p.m. - UST vs UPIS

Jude Eriobu finished what Ziv Espinas started as Ateneo de Manila University extended the woes of defending champion University of Santo Tomas with a 100-88 victory to remain unbeaten through five games in the UAAP Season 88 High School Boys’ Basketball Tournament, Sunday afternoon at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.

Espinas ignited the Blue Eagles’ spirited comeback late in the third quarter, before Eriobu took over down the stretch, scoring eight of Ateneo’s final 17 points to stretch their perfect run to five wins and hand the Tiger Cubs a fourth loss in five outings.

Meanwhile, Cabs Cabonilas and Pat Sohm powered Far Eastern University-Diliman to its third straight victory, leaning on a dominant fourth quarter to secure a 96-73 triumph over the University of the East.

With the contrasting results, Ateneo remained on top of the eight-team standings, still a game ahead of FEU-D, which improved to 4-1. UST stayed in seventh place with a 1-4 slate, while UE slipped to a share of sixth with Adamson University at 2-3.

“It was the players who really won the game today. As much as we prepared for this game, and I know we’re prepared, it was the players -- they really wanted to win,” Blue Eagles head coach Bacon Austria said. “Not to brag or anything, we knew what we really wanted to do, it was a matter of executing it down the stretch.”

A floater by LJ Lapastora gave UST an 80-72 cushion with 1:35 remaining in the third quarter, but Espinas sparked Ateneo’s decisive 16-2 run with nine points, turning the tide and giving the Blue Eagles a 78-72 lead with over seven minutes left.

The Tiger Cubs refused to fold as Jetlee Melano knocked down two free throws and Charles Esteban scored on a layup to cut the deficit to 83-81 with 5:41 remaining. However, EK Kaw drilled a timely triple before Eriobu showed nerves of steel in the closing minutes.

The 17-year-old Nigerian center scored eight straight points to restore a 92-86 cushion with 1:25 left, before Banal calmly converted four free throws to seal Ateneo’s hard-fought, come-from-behind win.

Eriobu finished with a dominant double-double of 28 points and 21 rebounds, along with one block and one assist. Banal added 25 points, three assists, two steals, and two rebounds, while Jay-M Leal chipped in 17 points, eight rebounds, and two assists.

Espinas narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, to go with two assists and one block.

JC Canapi led UST with 24 points, three steals, one rebound, and one assist, while Wacky Ludovice contributed 15 points, three assists, two rebounds, one steal, and one block. Esteban tallied 13 points, four steals, three rebounds, and one assist, while Kirk Cañete added 12 points, six assists, four rebounds, and one steal.

In the other game, after Gab delos Reyes and Jolo Pascual hit back-to-back triples to knot the game at 61-all, graduating forward Marc Burgos scored six straight points before Sohm finished a layup to give the Baby Tamaraws a 69-61 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Louie Bual opened the final period with a triple to keep the Junior Warriors within five, 69-64, but that was as close as UE would get. FEU-D responded with a decisive 15-2 run—capped by two Prince Cariño free throws and a Sohm layup—to build an 86-66 advantage with 5:03 remaining.

“Nagawa nung players yung adjustments that we had to do on defense [noong fourth quarter], kaya 12 points lang sila. Mainly, it was their transition attack that we stopped, they had their shots, but luckily, nag-miss sila,” Baby Tamaraws head coach Mike Reyes said.

Cabonilas led FEU-D with 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting, along with 14 rebounds, five assists, three steals, and one block. Burgos added 12 points, seven rebounds, and one assist.

Sohm finished with eight points, five rebounds, three steals, and one block, while Khean Esperanza, Nigerian center Assan Gaye, Adi Alagaban, and Dwyne Enriquez each scored eight points in the win.

For UE, Mhico Abellar paced the Junior Warriors with 12 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal, while Delos Reyes added 11 points, two assists, and one rebound.

Ethan Aguas was limited to seven points on four shot attempts, along with five rebounds and one block, while Sizco Roquid continued to struggle, finishing with two points on 1-of-7 shooting, two turnovers, two rebounds, and one assist.

The Scores:

Third Game:

FEU-D (96) - Cabonilas 22, Burgos 12, Esperanza 8, Gaye 8, Sohm 8, Alagaban 8, Enriquez 8, Cagurungan 7, Dagcutan 5, Hall 4, Carino 4, Raneses 2, J. Santos 0, Dulin 0, D. Santos 0.

UE (73) - Abellar 12, Delos Reyes 11, Bual 9, Pascual 8, Aguas 7, Lorenzo 5, Edoukou 5, Oraa 5, Braga 4, Diaz 3, Roquid 2, Timbol 2, Orca 0, Panganiban 0, Copada 0.

Quarterscores: 32-28, 50-46, 69-61, 96-73.

Fourth Game:

Ateneo (100) - Eriobu 28, Banal 25, Leal 17, Madrangca 9, Espinas 9, Kaw 6, Kallos 6, Gatmaitan 2, Lacsamana 2.

UST (88) - Canapi 24, Ludovice 15, Esteban 13, Canete 12, Melano 11, Lapastora 5, Ajani 4, Bathan 2, Pulongbarit 2, Vidanes 0, Sta. Maria 0, Candare 0.

Quarterscores: 24-17, 41-47, 66-70, 100-88.

UST smash La Salle-Zobel to open UAAP HS Girls Basketball title defense

c/o UAAP

Games on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym
8 a.m. - AdU vs UST (Boys)
10 a.m. - FEU-D vs NUNS (Boys)
12 p.m. - Ateneo vs DLSZ (Boys)
2 p.m. - UPIS vs UE (Boys)
4 p.m. - UST vs Ateneo (Girls)

University of Santo Tomas shook off early jitters to fend off De La Salle Zobel, 90-59, and open its UAAP Season 88 Girls’ Basketball Tournament title defense on a strong note Wednesday morning at the Filoil Centre in San Juan.

Moving on from the graduation of their championship core—Season 87 MVP Barby Dajao, Janna Wenceslao, and Grachelle Boteros—the Junior Growling Tigresses brushed aside a slow start behind a pivotal second-quarter surge led by Riri Perez, Lea Pinuela, and Indonesian center Koukou Talla.

Perez came close to finishing with a triple-double, finishing with 19 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists, on top of three steals and two blocks. Talla provided solid support with 15 points on an efficient 6-of-8 shooting clip, along with 12 rebounds, two assists, and one block.

With the victory, the Junior Growling Tigresses joined modern-day rival National University Nazareth School Lady Bullpups—who cruised past the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles last Sunday—as the early leaders in the four-team field.

“Kulang pa kami sa calmness and stability doon sa first few quarters. We hope na pagdating namin sa mga next games, slowly that the girls can adjust, lalo na yung bago na first-timer na naglalaro,” UST head coach Sen Dysangco said.

“I hope they will grow into it [and] that they mature fast enough para malabas nila yung laro nila,” he added.

After a sluggish opening quarter that saw the Junior Lady Archers lead by as many as five points, UST seized control with a commanding 28-15 second period. Back-to-back layups from Pinuela and an and-one basket by Sandra Abrantes highlighted the surge, as the Tigresses went into halftime with a 45-32 advantage.

From there, the Tigresses stayed firmly in the driver’s seat. Three straight layups by Pinuela, Perez, and Sabel Anacan capped a decisive 22-6 run that ballooned a 13-point lead into a commanding 67-38 cushion.

De La Salle Zobel showed signs of life when Ching Gales converted a layup to trim the deficit to 69-49 with under seven minutes remaining. However, a Perez three-pointer, a Janice Oczon layup, and a Talla free throw quickly restored an insurmountable 77-51 lead with 5:21 left on the clock.

Oczon chipped in 13 points, seven rebounds, and one steal, while Pinuela tallied 10 points, five assists, three rebounds, and three steals. Pia Petalcorin added eight points, two assists, two steals, one block, and one rebound, and Abrantes finished with seven points, four rebounds, two blocks, one steal, and one assist.

The Junior Growling Tigresses look to sustain their winning momentum when they clash with the Blue Eagles this Sunday, January 18, at 4 p.m. at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.

For De La Salle Zobel, Ima Navarro led the way with 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Gales contributed 13 points, four rebounds, one steal, and one block in the losing effort.

The Junior Lady Archers will aim for their first win when they face the Lady Bullpups next Thursday, January 22, at the same time and venue.

The Scores:

UST (90) - Perez 19, Talla 15, Oczon 13, Pinuela 10, Petalcorin 8, Abrantes 7, Townes 5, Labay 4, Mateo 4, Arciaga 3, Anacan 2, Kallos 0, Capinpin 0, Hew 0.

DLSZ (59) - Navarro 15, Gales 13, Martinez 9, Padigos 8, Ogario 6, Dulay 4, Gerona 3, Winar 1, Contreras 0, Roque 0, Sanares 0.

Quarterscores: 17-17, 45-32, 67-46, 90-59.

Pingol, Okebata lead individual awardees in women's and U16 basketball

c/o UAAP

In her final year with National University, Ann Pingol made sure to leave her mark by capturing the biggest individual accolade in collegiate basketball.

The 5-foot-7 graduating winger was officially crowned the UAAP Season 88 Collegiate Women’s Basketball Most Valuable Player on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Pingol, 24, who is also set to join Gilas Women for the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, became just the third Lady Bulldog to win the league's highest individual plum after Afril Bernardino (UAAP Seasons 77–79, 2014–16) and Jack Animam (Season 80, 2017).

Built on two triple-double performances, the younger sister of former Adamson and NU standout Kaye Pingol tallied 93.571 statistical points — 2.142 SPs ahead of dethroned MVP Kacey Dela Rosa of Ateneo.

"Siguro, malaking confidence booster siya para sa akin. Nung first [year] ko pa lang sa UAAP, hindi ko naman ito ina-aim 'eh kasi kumbaga, I just play my game and kung ano lang flow ng system namin. Na-surprise lang ako na 'yon yung naging outcome," Pingol said.

She averaged 14.29 points, 8.93 rebounds, 5.14 assists, 3.57 steals, and 1.07 blocks per game in the Lady Bulldogs' 12-2 elimination round campaign.

In the junior high school boys’ division, Goodluck Okebata became the first University of the East Red Warrior in 21 years to win a regular season MVP award.

The last Red Warrior to claim the top individual honor was Julius Porlaje back in the UAAP Season 67 Junior Basketball Tournament in 2004.

Okebata, a 15-year-old Lambunao, Iloilo native standing at 6-foot-4, amassed 96.214 SPs off averages of 19.71 points, 13.43 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.29 steals, and 2.5 blocks per game in UE's fifth-place, 8-6 finish in Season 88. He edged out University of Santo Tomas’ Rowie Cabañero by just 0.571 SPs.

"Itong MVP na ito, it's not only for me. It's for my kuyas and sa mga coach ko rin na nagtiwala sa akin. Para rin ito sa mga magulang ko na nagtitiwala sa akin. Hindi lang sa akin itong MVP na ito, kung hindi para sa kanilang lahat ito," Okebata said.

Cabañero, a 5-foot-6 guard from Mahaplag, Leyte who also recorded two triple-double outings in the eliminations, was still named the Rookie of the Year in the 16-and-under division.

Joining Pingol and Dela Rosa in the women’s Elite Team are UST’s Kent Pastrana (86.643 SPs) and NU’s Kristine Cayabyab (73.571) and Angel Surada (71.714).

Meanwhile, the junior high school boys’ Elite Team is composed of Okebata, Cabañero, FEU-Diliman’s Dwyne Enriquez (89.286), NU-Nazareth School’s Moussa Diakite (85.143), and FEU-D’s Prince Cariño (84.769).

Ateneo’s Erica De Luna emerged as the women’s Rookie of the Year after finishing 25th in the SP race with 47.214, posting averages of 7.5 points, 4.43 rebounds, 2.57 assists, and 1.79 steals in her freshman campaign.

Also awarded their third-place trophies were Ateneo (collegiate women's) and UST (junior high school boys').

The Blue Eagles finished the elimination round as the third seed with an 8-6 record before defeating Adamson in the stepladder quarterfinal, 66-56.

Ateneo fell to NU in the semis, 79-84.

Meanwhile, the Junior Tiger Cubs were the second seed with a 10-4 slate but lost to FEU-D in the semifinal, 75-82.

Baby Falcons snap Tiger Cubs streak, Junior Warriors nip Junior Archers

c/o UAAP Media

UAAP Season 88 Junior High School Basketball Tournament Standings
NUNS 8-0
FEU-D 6-2
AdU 6-3
UST 6-3
UE 5-4
Ateneo 2-6
UPIS 1-7
DLSZ 0-9

Games Sunday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion
7:30 a.m. – UPIS vs FEU-D (16U)
9:30 a.m. – Ateneo vs NUNS (16U)
11:30 a.m. – Ateneo vs NU (Women)
1:30 p.m. – Ateneo vs NU (Men)
4:30 p.m. – UP vs FEU (Men)
7 p.m. – UP vs FEU (Women)

Adamson University dispatched the University of Santo Tomas, 87-76, to earn a share of third place in the UAAP Season 88 Junior High School Basketball Tournament on Saturday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

The Baby Falcons and the Tiger Cubs are now tied at 6-3 in the standings.

Meanwhile, the University of the East avoided a potential third straight defeat after pulling off a thrilling 72-69 victory over winless De La Salle Zobel (0-9) in the opening game of the six-match slate.

The Junior Warriors improved to 5-4 for solo fifth place.

It was an impressive showing for Adamson, which snapped UST’s four-game winning streak.

Holding a slim 36-34 advantage at halftime, the Baby Falcons began to pull away in the third quarter as Vengcs Vengco, Edison Jordan, Keefy Iledan, Fran Flores, Seb Esma, and Majiq Padrejuan combined for a 63-49 cushion with less than a minute left in the period.

In the fourth, Adamson widened the gap, leading by as much as 77-58 off Flores’ back-to-back layups and Uno Del Monte’s three-pointer, effectively sealing the game with 6:37 remaining.

Redemption was the theme for the Baby Falcons, who avenged their heartbreaking 87-86 loss to UST in their first-round meeting last October 18.

“All throughout the week, after that game, we always had to instill in them — ‘one point, one point.’ We don’t want that again,” said Baby Falcons head coach Dante Tengco. “Even if we won by one point, it’s fine as long as we say that we’re not supposed to lose this time. The boys became men today and really answered the call, so thank you for that.”

Flores led Adamson with 19 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks. Jordan added 17 points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Esma also chipped in 15 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, while Iledan tallied a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds.

In the earlier game, the Junior Archers seemed poised for an upset after Isaac Purugganan and Jullian Pangan’s free throws gave DLSZ a 66-61 cushion with 2:41 left.

But the Junior Warriors responded in stunning fashion. Austin Delos Santos’ layup, James Mesa’s free throw, and Mark Perdigon’s clutch triple turned the tide, putting UE ahead 67-66 with 1:22 remaining.

DLSZ had a chance to reclaim the lead, but Enzo Purugganan missed a three-pointer and a layup following his steal off Perdigon — only for the latter to recover defensively and deny the easy basket.

Perdigon then buried another triple to give UE a 70-66 lead with 25.8 seconds left. Enzo Purugganan answered with his own three despite Goodluck Okebata’s tight defense, trimming the gap to 70-69 with 23 ticks to go.

In the ensuing play, Delos Santos calmly sank both free throws after being fouled, restoring a three-point cushion with 17 seconds left.

The Junior Archers’ hopes of forcing overtime faded when Ice Purugganan turned the ball over, sealing UE’s escape win.

Despite the victory, Junior Warriors head coach Matthew Sia expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s performance, particularly their lapses in the third quarter when DLSZ led by as much as 55-45 off Enzo Purugganan’s back-to-back treys.

“To tell you the truth guys, I’m not happy with our win,” said Sia. “Siyempre, nung start of the fourth, I was telling the boys when we were down 10, gumawa kayo ng paraan. Nag-adjust kami sa defense. Thankfully, naman naka-stops kami. I’m glad we won, but I’m not happy with that win.”

Okebata led UE with a monster double-double of 26 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks. Delos Santos added 13 points, six assists, and four rebounds.

Perdigon, who missed all six of his three-point attempts prior to the fourth quarter, finished with 12 points — highlighted by his two clutch triples — along with four assists.

UE also dominated DLSZ in their first-round meeting last October 15, 89-66.

For the Junior Archers, Enzo Purugganan led the charge with 26 points, while Pangan added 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Ice Purugganan chipped in 12 points, five assists, and five rebounds, while Wayne Rivera finished with four points and 10 boards. La Salle fell to 0-9, with an average losing margin of 16.67 points.

All four teams will return to action at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Adamson faces FEU-Diliman on Sunday at 7:30 a.m., followed by La Salle taking on National University-Nazareth School at 9:30 a.m.

On November 5, UE will battle Ateneo de Manila University at 7:30 a.m., while UST takes on the University of the Philippines Integrated School at 9:30 a.m.

The Scores:

First Game (16U)

UE (72) - Okebata 26, Delos Santos 13, Perdigon 12, Felizmenia 9, Mallabo 5, Mercado 3, Pontipedra 3, Mesa 1, Aguilar 0, Ancheta 0.

DLSZ (69) - E. Purugganan 26, Pangan 21, I. Purugganan 12, Mindanao 6, Rivera 4, Dizon 0, Quillo 0, Delos Reyes 0, Meloto 0, Asis 0.

Quarterscores: 18-16, 34-33, 45-55, 72-69.

Second Game (16U)

AdU (87) - Flores 19, E. Jordan 17, Esma 15, Iledan 10, Vengco 8, A. Jordan 7, Del Monte 5, Padrejuan 4, Abas 2, Maycong 0, Caintic 0.

UST (76) - Tabbuga 26, Cabanero 15, Castro 12, Anggot 9, Datu 7, Jubilado 5, Regala 2, Duenas 0, Villacarlos 0, Retaga 0, Guinto 0.

Quarterscores: 23-15, 36-34, 65-52, 87-76.

Carino return sparks FEU-Diliman comeback triumph

c/o UAAP

UAAP Season 88 Junior High School Basketball Tournament Standings
NUNS 7-0
UST 5-2
FEU-D 5-2
AdU 4-3
UE 4-3
Ateneo 2-5
UPIS 1-6
DLSZ 0-7

Prince Cariño, returning to action after missing the previous game, immediately made up for lost time, leading Far Eastern University-Diliman to a hard-fought 72–68 victory over the University of the East. The win allowed FEU-D to claim a share of second place at the end of the first round of the UAAP Season 88 Junior High School Basketball Tournament on Sunday morning at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

After sitting out the Baby Tamaraws’ loss to the UST Tiger Cubs last Wednesday due to illness, Cariño joined forces with Prince Pineda in the clutch to help FEU-D overcome the Junior Warriors, finishing the first round tied for second place with UST—both teams holding identical 5–2 win-loss records.

“Nagpapasalamat ako dahil nakaka-recover na sila. Most of the players are sick and ngayon lang sila nakapagpractice kaya yung preparations namin for UE, sobrang iksi kasi hindi namin sila pwede pag-practice kasi under recovery pa. Kaya para sa akin, satisfied ako sa panalo namin ngayon,” Baby Tamaraws head coach Muriel Garcia said.

In a back-and-forth battle to open the payoff period, both teams stayed within striking distance. Mark Perdigon and Zion Aguilar then drained back-to-back triples to give UE a narrow 66–62 lead with 3:06 remaining.

Eager to regain control, FEU-D responded with a decisive 8–0 run—highlighted by a midrange jumper from Cariño and a three-pointer plus an and-one layup by Pineda—establishing a four-point, 70–66 lead with 2:05 left on the clock.

Despite committing a 24-second shot clock violation and a turnover by Okebata, the Junior Warriors stayed alive after their Fil-Nigerian forward converted free throws. However, a missed three-pointer by Aguilar, an errant pass from Perdigon, and ice-cold free throws from Cariño ultimately sealed the Baby Tamaraws’ comeback victory.

Cariño finished with 16 points on 5-of-9 shooting, 11 rebounds, three blocks, and one assist. Dwyne Enriquez also posted 16 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals. Pineda added 14 points, five rebounds, and four steals, while Hisham Mampao contributed eight points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

For UE, Okebata tallied 19 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, four blocks, and three steals, while Perdigon registered 11 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and one block. The Junior Warriors closed the first round at 4–3, sharing fourth place with Adamson University.

In the earlier game, the University of the Philippines Integrated School claimed its first-ever victory in the division with a thrilling 70–59 win over De La Salle Zobel.

The triumph ended a 20-game losing streak dating back to Season 87.

Winless through 14 games in Season 87 and struggling through a six-game slump to start Season 88, UPIS ended its drought in dominant fashion.

Second-year guard Kean Poquiz led the charge, exploding for 36 points on 13-of-20 shooting, along with nine rebounds, seven steals, and six assists—the second-highest single-game scoring performance in the tournament’s history since UST’s Jhon Canapi scored 38 points in an 82–65 win over Adamson on November 20, 2024, during Season 87.

Poquiz’s performance not only snapped the Fighting Maroons’ 20-game skid but also delivered head coach King Vergeire his second UAAP victory across the 19-under and 16-under divisions since taking over from former mentor Paolo Mendoza in Season 86.

His first win came in a comeback victory over UE on January 14, 2024, in the 19-under division.

“It’s very fulfilling with all the adversities and with everything that happened. I am just really thankful na we still pushed through as a team. All credit lang sa Lord and all credit sa coaching staff at lalo sa mga bata deserve nila ito,” Vergeire, son of decorated college coach Dong Vergeire, said.

UPIS finished the first round in seventh place with a 1–6 record.

Poquiz, a transferee from Marist School Marikina last year, sparked UPIS’ 11–0 run in the third quarter, converting a midrange jumper, a three-pointer, and an and-one reverse layup to give the Fighting Maroons a 46–36 lead with 3:41 remaining in the period.

DLSZ, however, mounted a 12–2 counterattack to tie the game at 48-all early in the fourth quarter.

Determined to end their 20-game skid, the Junior Fighting Maroons responded with an 18–5 run, punctuated by four triples from Poquiz, pushing DLSZ into a 66–53 deficit with 3:15 left on the clock.

Dominic Labao contributed a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds, while John Addatu added six points, eight rebounds, and three assists.

The Scores

First Game
UPIS (70) – Poquiz 36, Labao 11, Addatu 6, Manguerra 6, Bautista 4, Rosete 4, Lugatiman 3, Baldovino 0.
DLSZ (59) – E. Purugganan 20, Pangan 15, Mindanao 8, I. Purugganan 5, Delos Reyes 4, Rivera 3, Dizon 2, Asis 2, Quillo 0, Mercado 0, Meloto 0.
Quarterscores: 13-14, 31-30, 48-43, 70-59.

Second Game
FEU-D (72) - Enriquez 16, Cariño 16, Pineda 14, Mampao 8, Cañete 7, Mojica 4, Chavez 3, Barlan 2, Calma 2, Daa 0, Cruz 0, Desiderio 0.
UE (68) - Okebata 19, Aguilar 12, Perdigon 11, Mesa 9, Delos Santos 8, Mallabo 7, Roxas 2, Mercado 0, Felizmenia 0, Ancheta 0.
Quarterscores: 13-17, 31-40, 50-48, 72-68.

UST seeks co-leadership in UAAP Season 88 men's basketball

c/o UAAP

Standings W L 

Men's
NU 5 1
UST 4 1
UP 4 2
Ateneo 4 2
DLSU 2 3
AdU 2 4
FEU 1 4
UE 0 5

Women's
UST 4 0
NU 4 1
Ateneo 4 1
FEU 2 2
UP 2 3
AdU 2 3
DLSU 0 4
UE 0 4

JHS Boys'
NUNS 6-0
FEU-D 4-1
AdU 4-2
UE 3-2
UST 3-2
Ateneo 2-4
DLSZ 0-5
UPIS 0-6

Games Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena
8 a.m. – DLSZ vs UE (JHS Boys')
10 a.m. – UST vs FEU-D (JHS Boys')
1 p.m. – DLSU vs UE (Women's)
3 p.m. – DLSU vs UE (Men's)
5 p.m. – UST vs FEU (Men's)
7 p.m. – UST vs FEU (Women's)

University of Santo Tomas looks to grab a share of first place as it faces a dangerous Far Eastern University side, while De La Salle University hopes to recover minus injured forward Mason Amos when the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Tournament resumes today (Wednesday) at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Coming off a character-defining performance that reaffirmed its status as a title contender, the Growling Tigers are gunning for a third straight win when they battle the Tamaraws at 5 p.m.

It took UST three overtimes to outlast Ateneo, 98-89, in the league’s much-heralded return to the iconic Blue Eagle Gym last Saturday, thanks to the efforts of Nigerian big man Collins Akowe, Gelo Crisostomo, and Forthsky Padrigao.

“It’s a character win for us. There’s a saying nga na that a great sailor will sail smooth seas, so the team will have to go through this to experience this journey and hopefully this makes us a better and stronger team with the experience we had against Ateneo,” said Growling Tigers assistant coach Juno Sauler.

A victory will lift UST into a tie with National University at the top of the standings with a 5-1 record.

It has been a tough second season so far for coach Sean Chambers, as FEU currently sits in seventh place with a 1-4 slate. Three of those losses were decided by four points or less, with the Tamaraws still struggling to close out games — the latest being a heartbreaking 66-69 loss to defending champion University of the Philippines last Sunday.

“We need to get over the so-called hill to finalize and finish these games off. So I spoke to all of them during practice, saying that we have to go earn the respect of the rest of the team in the league by winning against some of the upper echelon teams to let them know that we have arrived,” said Chambers.

“We’re playing great basketball, but we just gotta finish off these games and the deal. So, I mean, I’m happy with their effort, but I hate losing, and I just think that we don’t want moral victories. I know we’re playing good basketball. We just gotta get one more step over to beat these top teams,” the many-time PBA Best Import awardee added.

Meanwhile, the Green Archers hope to catch a break against the University of the East Red Warriors, who remain winless in five games and have dropped 11 straight dating back to last season’s second round. Tip-off is set at 3 p.m.

Enduring its worst start since coach Topex Robinson took over in 2023, La Salle is digging deep to stay within the top-four range.

“There’s no way for us but to, again, keep on persevering and fighting. We could have had all the reasons to just go down and die, but I guess that’s the least of our priorities right now. We have a lot of basketball to play, a lot of opportunities to bounce back. What’s important is we stick together and go through this harder this time, especially with injuries to our players but it is what it is. As long as we have life, we have a chance. We’re not gonna give up on this,” Robinson said.

Amos will be sidelined for at least six to eight weeks after sustaining an MCL tear in his right knee during La Salle’s 78-82 loss to National University last Sunday, dropping the Season 86 champions to a 2-3 record.

In the women’s division, league-leading UST seeks its fifth straight win against vastly improved FEU at 7 p.m.

Tigresses coach Haydee Ong remains cautious of the Lady Tamaraws, who hold a 2-2 record behind the efforts of Amyah Espanol and Shem Abatayo, while keeping her team focused on one game at a time.

“It’s a long season — we just had our fourth game and three more in the first round, so one game at a time lang kami. We’ll go against FEU on Wednesday, so that's what we are preparing for,” Ong said after UST rallied past Ateneo, 75-66, last Saturday.

FEU coach Raiza Palmera-Dy is also preparing her squad for a tough battle against the top-ranked Tigresses, powered by Kent Pastrana and Nigerian student-athlete Oma Onianwa.

“Sabi ko nga sa kanila, we will face the No. 1 team. I hope that we are ready to face them, but I will prepare them mentally and physically kasi hindi yan magiging madali kasi they’re a more experienced team. Hopefully, lahat ng trinabaho namin offseason, lumabas next game,” said Palmera-Dy.

(“I told them that we’ll be facing the No. 1 team. I just hope we’re ready, but I’ll make sure to prepare them mentally and physically because it’s not going to be easy — they’re a much more experienced team. Hopefully, everything we worked on during the offseason shows in our next game.")

Earlier in the day, La Salle and UE, both still searching for their first win after four games, will clash at 1 p.m.

In the 16-and-under division, FEU-Diliman aims to solidify its hold on second place against UST at 10 a.m., while defending champion UE battles De La Salle-Zobel in the 8 a.m. curtain-raiser.

All games will air live on the Pilipinas Live app, One Sports, and the UAAP Varsity Channel.

JRU stuns Letran in its NCAA season opener

c/o NCAA

Jose Rizal University pulled off a stunner to start their stint at the NCAA Season 101 men's basketball tournament on Friday, securing a 73-69 nail-biter against Colegio de San Juan de Letran on Friday afternoon in San Juan.

Leading by as much as sixteen points, the Heavy Bombers had to deal with a strong final period from the Knights, as they scored 23 points.

A free throw from Jonathan Manalili managed to make it a one-possession game with fourteen seconds left, but Justin Lozano would restore the two-possession lead on a free throw after a quick foul by the Knights.

Chad Gammad missed a three with nine seconds remaining, and although Lozano would miss two free throws after being fouled three seconds later, Letran ran out of time to stumble on their season opener.

New head coach Nani Epondulan says about the game, "Lagi nating sinasabi na kung merong tatakbo dapat kami."

The JRU legend adds, "Lagi ko ring sinasabi sa kanila na ibigay nila kahat kasi noon pa lang, nobody was expecting us kung anong magiging performance namin."

Lozano finished with a game-high seventeen points, while also adding three rebounds and three assists. Sean Salvador added ten for the Heavy Bombers, while Ivan Panapanaan had a near-double-double with eight points and fourteen rebounds.

Jimboy Estrada led Letran with fourteen points, five rebounds, four assists, and a couple of steals before fouling out. Manalili and Gammad each added eleven markers, with the former also chipping in six boards and three dimes.

Making up for the defeat is the Squires' 62-52 victory over the Light Bombers in juniors action. Harvey Macadangdang led the way with fourteen points in the victory. Letran limited their opponents to just nineteen points in the second half to emerge victorious. 

The Knights are set to tangle against rivals San Beda on Sunday afternoon, while JRU gets Emilio Aguinaldo College on Tuesday.

The scores (Srs and Jrs)

JRU 73 – Lozano 17, Salvador 10, Panapanaan 8, Peñaverde 7, Garupil 6, Laurenaria 6, Herrera 6, Benitez 5, Argente 4, Sarmiento 2, Castillo 2, Esguerra 0, Duque 0

LETRAN 69 – Estrada 14, Manalili 11, Gammad 11, Roque 10, Santos 10, Tapenio 9, Rosilio 2, Omega 2, Yusi 0, Silorio 0, Buensalida 0

The scores:

LETRAN 62 – Macadangdag 14, Cargo 8, Dahino 8, M. Pascual 8, T. Pascual 7, Egea 5, Lumague 4, Valdeavilla 4, Villanueva 2, Cabañero 2, Chua 0, Timbol 0, Gelin 0, Barrieta

JRU 52 – Laxamana 12, Taparan 10, Callueng 8, Mallorca 7, Sapatram 6, Ong 4, Ruedas 3, Estocapio 2, Loque 0, Tailan 0, Palles 0, Roales 0, Caspe 0 

Quarter scores: 16-18, 35-33, 56-43, 62-52

NU set for tough test against defending champions

Standings   W  L
Men
NU               3    0
Ateneo        3    0
UST             2    1
DLSU           2    1
AdU             1    2
UP               1    2
FEU              0    3
UE                0    3

Women
UST             2    0
Ateneo        2    0
UP               2    0
NU               1    1
FEU              1    1
AdU             0    2
UE                0    2
DLSU           0    2

JHS Boys
AdU 3-0
NUNS 3-0
UST 2-1
UE 2-1
FEU 2-1
DLSZ 0-3
Ateneo 0-3
UPIS 0-3

Games Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena
7:30 a.m. –  UE vs UST (16U)
9:30 a.m. – UPIS vs NU (16U)
11:30 a.m. – UE vs UST (Women)
1:30 p.m. – UST vs UE (Men)
4:30 p.m. – UP vs NU (Men)
7 p.m. – UP vs NU (Women)

AFTER hurdling its biggest test of the young UAAP Collegiate Men’s Basketball season, National University faces another tough challenge against defending champion University of the Philippines this Saturday afternoon at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

The Bulldogs are enjoying their finest start in the Final Four era, with coach Jeff Napa pleased to see his players on the same page.

NU is currently tied with Ateneo at 3-0, the tournament’s two unlikely leaders after both squads finished at the bottom of the standings last season.

"Yung character kasi, hindi ko na para i-question ‘yon sa mga bata at players ko ‘eh. Especially (Omar John), he changed a lot. Thankful kami talaga na yung pagbabago niya, for the better — as a player and as a person. Nagbi-benefit talaga yung team. Maybe he’s matured enough to understand everything. His teammates really support him well. Siguro ‘yon yung maganda na nangyayari, they trust each other and no one will be left behind," said Napa.

("Their character is something I don’t question anymore, especially with my players. Omar John, in particular, has changed a lot. We’re really thankful for the positive changes he’s made, both as a player and as a person. It’s really benefiting the team. Maybe he’s matured enough to understand everything, and his teammates are supporting him well. I think what’s great is that they trust each other, and no one gets left behind.")

The Bulldogs hope to sustain their high level of play in the 4:30 p.m. duel with the Fighting Maroons.

Behind Gambian center Omar John and leading scorer Jake Figueroa, NU pricked University of Santo Tomas’ bubble on its home floor with a 76-69 win in a showdown of unbeaten teams Wednesday night.

UP finally got over the hump with a 92-75 win over University of the East last Sunday, ending a two-game skid.

For coach Goldwin Monteverde, the victory will serve as a morale booster for the Fighting Maroons as they brace for an inspired Bulldogs side.

"I guess winning this game in this way would make us realize that it’s very important to play together. It’s not just about talent, it’s about having a quick intuition on making decisions din," said Monteverde.

The Growling Tigers aim to get back on track against the Red Warriors in the 2 p.m. curtain-raiser. Sporting a 2-1 record, UST is currently tied with De La Salle in third place, while UE, still searching for its first win under new coach Chris Gavino, is tied with Far Eastern University at 0-3.

In Collegiate Women’s play, UST and UP stake their unbeaten 2-0 records against a dangerous UE and titleholder NU, respectively.

Coming off an impressive 76-62 romp over the Lady Bulldogs, the Tigresses remain wary of the Lady Warriors, who have shown improvement under first-year mentor Ian Valdez, in the 11:30 a.m. contest.

"There’s so much more to improve sa team and day by day naman, kino-correct namin yung mga mali namin and the things that we have to improve para as we go on sa every game namin, we will see improvement until the end of the first round," said UST coach Haydee Ong.

("There’s still a lot we need to work on as a team, and day by day we’re correcting our mistakes and focusing on the areas we need to improve. As we go through each game, I’m confident we’ll see progress by the end of the first round.")

The Fighting Maroons are also aware that the Lady Bulldogs will be eager to vent their ire in the 7 p.m. clash.

"Just like every game namin, we tap ourselves on our shoulders. It was a win we were really dying for, but after that, we’re looking forward to the next game. NU is a big challenge definitely now dahil ganito yung pinakita namin. Hopefully, we can take some positives out of it and we’ll work on our lapses," said coach Paul Ramos after UP nipped UE, 84-75, in overtime.

("Like every game, we give ourselves some credit. It was a win we really needed, but now we’re already looking forward to the next one. NU is definitely going to be a big challenge given how we played. Hopefully, we can take some positives from this and work on the areas where we slipped up.")

In Junior High School Boys' action, unbeaten NU-Nazareth School guns for its fourth straight win against UP Integrated School at 9:30 a.m., following holders UE and UST, who take the floor at 7:30 a.m.

Games air on the Pilipinas Live app, One Sports, and the UAAP Varsity Channel.

Perpetual start Season 101 campaign with San Sebastian beatdown

c/o NCAA

The University of Perpetual Help System Dalta kickstarted its NCAA Season 101 seniors basketball campaign with a strong defensive effort, securing a 67-54 triumph over San Sebastian College-Recoletos Friday afternoon in San Juan.

Mark Gojo Cruz led all scorers with fifteen points in the victory, adding a couple of rebounds and assists. Supporting him ably are the trio of John Abis, JP Boral, and Patrick Sleat, who each chipped in ten markers.

Head coach Olsen Racela shares about the victory, "Having that first win is always a welcome (sight) pero we have a lot of things to cover."

He adds, "This is just one win but I think I liked our defensive effort today." The Altas forced the retooled Golden Stags to 15/53 shooting.

With the victory, Perpetual joins Mapua atop Group A with their respective victories. They'll face Lyceum this Sunday at high noon for a chance at back-to-back wins.

Tristan Felebrico was the only Golden Stag to score in double figures with twelve points while contributing seven rebounds, an assist, and a steal. He made his living from the free throw line, making ten of his twelve attempts from the stripe to make up for his 1/8 field goal shooting.

San Sebastian gets a few days off before facing Arellano on Tuesday morning.

The Junior Altas made it 2/2 for the Las Pinas-based university with their 78-61 win over the Golden Staglets, as they began their quest for a repeat in juniors action.

Jim Corpuz led all scorers with seventeen points, while Lance Nitura put forth a near-triple-double performance with nine points, six rebounds, and seven assists, with three steals.

The scores: (Jrs and Srs)

PERPETUAL HELP 78 – Corpuz 17, Rosales 13, Zanoria 11, Nitura 9, Velasquez 6, Binagatan 5, Ferrer 4, Villaruel 4, Llupar 3, Zamoras 3, Dulanas 2, Ignacio 1, Cristobal 0 Patalinghug 0

SAN SEBASTIAN 61 – Tepan 16, Castillo 12, Scott 10, Aninipot 8, Ynot 4, Ramiso 3, Victoria 3, Gaviola 2, Dela Cruz 2, Canillo 1, Urbina 0, Pacheco 0, Gutierrez 0, Rizano 0

Quarter scores: 13-13, 40-35, 57-46, 78-61

UPHSD 67 - Cruz 15, Sleat 10, Boral 10, Abis 10, Orgo 8, Tulabut 6, Maglupay 2, Casinillo 2, Nunez 2, Duremdes 2, Alcantara 0, Gelsano 0, Pagulayan 0

SSC-R 54 - Felebrico 12, Dela Rama 8, Gabat 7, Ricio 7, Are 6, Cuajao 6, Dimaunahan 3, Castor 2, Velasco 2, Nepacena 1, Lumanag 0