Adamson University moved one step closer to securing the remaining Final Four berth in the UAAP Season 88 Junior High School Basketball Tournament with an 84-38 rout of De La Salle Zobel on Wednesday morning at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Uno Del Monte led the Baby Falcons with 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting, adding five assists and two rebounds, as Adamson solidified its hold on solo fourth place in the eight-team field with an 8-5 record.
A loss by defending champion University of the East—currently fifth with a 7-6 card—against Far Eastern University-Diliman on Saturday, or an Adamson victory over Ateneo de Manila University on Sunday, would secure the Baby Falcons’ spot in the Final Four.
Adamson dictated the pace from the opening tip, building on a 25-10 first-quarter performance before sending DLSZ—limited to a woeful 5-of-29 shooting in the first two quarters—into a 30-point, 48-18 deficit by halftime.
That early surge proved insurmountable, as key baskets from Kieff Iledan and Fran Flores in the third quarter extended the Baby Falcons’ lead to 62-26 heading into the final period.
The Junior Archers’ struggles—still winless at 0-12—were compounded by injuries to big men Julian Pangan and Wayne Rivera, who suffered separate ankle injuries in the second and third quarters, respectively.
“Quite honestly, feeling ko ay minalas yung ibang players ng DLSZ. The Purgganan brothers, the usual makers of the baskets they have, wala masyadong nagawa. But again, maybe because that was our game plan. They were not supposed to make their baskets, even yung kapatid niya,” Adamson head coach Dante Tongco said, as the Baby Falcons limited the Junior Archers to a season-low 38 points on 12-of-60 shooting.
Kyle Abas added a near double-double with 12 points on 6-of-9 shooting and nine rebounds, while Flores contributed 11 points, three assists, two rebounds, and two steals.
Edison Jordan posted an all-around stat line of 10 points, six steals, five rebounds, four assists, and two blocks, and Iledan finished one point shy of a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds, along with three assists and two steals.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Enzo Purugganan led DLSZ with 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting, three rebounds, and one steal, while Christian Mercado added eight points and one steal.
In the earlier game, a matchup between two struggling squads saw JD Juangco explode for a career-best 29 points, powering Ateneo to a wire-to-wire 76-60 victory over University of the Philippines Integrated School and ending a six-game skid.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Stepping up for Ateneo leading scorer Sky Jazul, who was ruled out for the season due to a shoulder injury, was Juangco, who fired 29 points on an efficient 11-of-17 shooting, alongside eight rebounds and one assist, to propel the Blue Eagles back to the win column.
Ateneo improved to 3-9 with two games remaining.
“Si JD naman, siguro hindi lang dahil nakapag-start siya nung first three games because of an injury kaya nangangapa, pero he’s a leader as well. Ganyan sila kahit noon, palitan sila ni Sky sa pag-lead ng team,” Ateneo head coach Jeffrey Mangubat said.
Kean Poquiz opened the fourth quarter with five straight points to trim the lead to 60-48, but Ateneo quickly restored order as Juangco, Francis Castro, and Domeng Ngo combined for a 7-0 run that rebuilt a 19-point, 67-48 cushion with 6:26 remaining.
UPIS mounted a final push as Dominic Labao scored inside and Poquiz hit a triple to cut the gap to 72-60 with 2:53 left. Ateneo managed the clock efficiently, with clutch free throws from Ford Fresnido, Sky Dela Rosa, and Juangco extinguishing the Fighting Maroons’ late rally.
Ngo added 12 points, three rebounds, two steals, and one assist, while Dela Rosa and Enzo Divinagracia contributed seven points each. Castro, limited to six points on 2-of-9 shooting, added 14 rebounds, three steals, two assists, and one block.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
On the UPIS side, Poquiz led with 21 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while John Addatu recorded 12 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. Labao posted a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Yojan Manguerra chipped in eight points and three assists.
The Scores:
First Game:
Ateneo (76) – Juangco 29, Ngo 12, Divinagracia 7, Dela Rosa 7, Castro 6, Bernarte 4, David 3, M. Yoro 3, G. Yoro 2, Ylen 2, Cayabyab 1, Saw 0, Fresnido 0, Hwang 0, Llavore 0.
UPIS (60) – Poquiz 21, Addatu 12, Labao 12, Manguerra 8, Rosete 4, Lugatiman 3, Floirendo 0, Sebastian 0, Bautista 0, Baldovino 0, Okebata 0.
Quarterscores: 21-12, 39-29, 60-43, 76-60.
Second Game:
AdU (84) – Del Monte 17, Abas 12, Flores 11, E. Jordan 10, Iledan 9, Esma 7, A. Jordan 6, Vengco 3, Caintic 3, Mangahas 2, Vargas 2, Padrejuan 2, Maycong 0, Adrade 0.
DLSZ (38) – E. Purugganan 12, Mercado 8, Mindanao 5, Rivera 3, I. Purugganan 2, Sy 2, Pangan 2, Solis 2, Dizon 1, Delos Reyes 1, Quillo 0, Asis 0, Dumana 0.
Quarterscores: 25-10, 48-18, 62-26, 84-38.
