Ateneo de Manila University hopes to send off the parents of late teammate Divine Adili with a victory before they return home to Nigeria.
Elias and Ifeoma Joy Adili will be on hand at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday as the Blue Eagles face the University of the Philippines at 5:30 p.m., adding another emotional layer to the latest chapter of the Battle of Katipunan in the UAAP Season 89 collegiate men’s basketball tournament.
Ateneo, however, will have to overcome a recent losing streak against the Fighting Maroons.
The Blue Eagles have yet to beat UP since the first round of Season 86, when they prevailed, 99-89, on October 22, 2023. Since then, Ateneo has dropped its last five meetings with the Fighting Maroons.
The Blue Eagles will also look to build on an impressive season-opening performance, when they dominated the University of the East, 101-74, last Wednesday.
The game against UP will serve as Ateneo’s first major test of the season, as it looks to end a two-year Final Four drought while continuing a campaign dedicated to fallen student-athletes Adili and Rene Baterbonia.
Meanwhile, UP also enters the matchup on a high after making an early statement despite losing its “Maroon 5” core from last season.
Led by Nigerian Francis Nnoruka and Noy Remogat, the Fighting Maroons rallied past the University of Santo Tomas, 92-85, in a duel between preseason favorites last Sunday.
Coach Goldwin Monteverde, now in his sixth season with UP, likes what he has seen from his current squad.
“The whole year, lahat naman nagtatrabaho. I believe this group din has its own identity din as a team,” Monteverde said. “Yung experience na na-gain nila every game really matters. They’ve been together for a lot of games. So far, while the team’s working together, nadedevelop na nila yung chemistry. At the same time, everybody’s really committed to really working and improving.
“There are a lot of things to learn as we go along in the tournament. Yung everyday namin, put up the same commitment that we did the whole year. Just focus on growing, whether from a win or a loss. Tingnan natin kung ano yung mga mali, ano yung mga kailangang baguhin. Basta kami, tuloy-tuloy lang,” he added.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
Nnoruka, who had 18 points and 12 rebounds in the opener, knows that this iteration of the Fighting Maroons needs to raise the bar even higher, especially after their performance against the Collins Akowe-led Growling Tigers.
“I believe the previous UP teams, how everybody sees them, they have, like, a standard. It’s pretty much about continuing where they left off and raise the standards high,” Nnoruka said.
“I think it’s pretty much the mindset that we’ve had on our team the whole year. We’ve just got to go out and show out, play with heart, effort, and just try and get the job done. It was unfortunate for Dieonte (Miles) not to be able to play but at the same time, it means we have more work to do. We just have to fill in the spot and try to work well. Everything has been a motivation from the start of the year until now; that’s a plus,” he added.
Miles was supposed to be the Fighting Maroons’ other foreign student-athlete, but the former NCAA Division I big man from Morehead State was declared ineligible on the eve of the season after the 7-foot center failed to secure the necessary immigration requirements to play in the UAAP.
Meanwhile, Ateneo has begun the healing process after everything the team has gone through since June.
Now focused on basketball in a campaign dedicated to fallen student-athletes Divine Adili and Rene Baterbonia, the Blue Eagles opened their season with a convincing victory over UE.
“I think it says a lot about the players’ willingness. Siyempre, sabi nga, though everything that happened to them, we still fight it out. Siyempre hindi mawawala yung emotional na baggage ng mga bata, and mentally. But still, they keep on climbing every day with hard practices. They’re all going hard,” said RJ Jazul, one of interim Blue Eagles coach Louie Alas’ trusted lieutenants.
“Considering what happened, as coaches and sa community namin, sila yung toughest players dito. Yung tragedy na nangyari, you can’t top that as an experience. Every day, nakikita namin as coaches na nagiging close yung mga bata. Mas naging close sila. Siyempre, we cannot do this without the help of loved ones, family. Siyempre, we dedicate this to Divine and Rene,” he added.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
Ateneo seeks to end a two-year Final Four drought, but achieving that goal will require a lot of effort, especially after everything the team has gone through since June.
“For Coach Louie naman, siyempre sa numbering ng UAAP, I think we’re not in the Final Four. Yun yung target namin. Malayo pa yung goal, so just keep on doing it every day,” Jazul said.
Kieffer Alas, whose 24-point debut was the most by a rookie since Jerrick Ahanmisi scored 28 points in Adamson’s 104-85 victory over UP on September 4, 2016, knows that the team needs to be on the same page to become a contender.
“Honestly, just probably staying the course. Just have to stay consistent talaga. Just not only thinking about what we can do individually, but it’s also more about what we can do to reach our goals. First the Final Four, then the next, then the next,” Alas said.
The other men’s game on Saturday pits National University against the University of the East at 3 p.m., with both teams looking to avoid a second straight defeat.
NU hopes to bounce back from its narrow 89-87 loss to defending champion De La Salle.
For UE, which is mired in a 21-game losing skid dating back to the second round of Season 87 in 2024, it needs a reset after a forgettable start to the campaign.
The 27-point loss to the Blue Eagles was the Red Warriors’ worst since April 23, 2022, during the Season 84 bubble tournament, when UE was blown out by Far Eastern University, 91-61.
In the boys’ 16-and-under action, FEU-Diliman tries to join reigning champion National University Nazareth School at the top of the standings at 4-0 when it takes on UE (2-1) at 8 a.m.
Adamson University (1-2) shoots for a second straight win against UPIS (0-3) at 12 noon, while UST (1-2) and Ateneo (0-3) collide at 10 a.m.
