Jude Eriobu once again proved to be the difference as Ateneo de Manila University snapped a seven-year drought against Far Eastern University-Diliman, 90-71, to claim a share of first place in the UAAP Season 88 Boys’ Basketball Tournament on Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Fresh off a 28-point, 14-rebound performance last Sunday, Eriobu, 17, continued his stellar play, finishing with 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting, 14 rebounds, five blocks, four steals, and two assists.
The Nigerian center helped the Blue Eagles finally solve the Baby Tamaraws’ puzzle for the first time since the second round of Season 81 in 2018.
The win also marked Ateneo’s first 2-0 start in UAAP boys’ basketball since Seasons 81 and 82, when the Blue Eagles made the Final Four in both tournaments.
“We just have to stay grounded because from the start, I kept on saying that we have bigger goals,” Ateneo head coach Bacon Austria said. “Two wins are not enough; you won’t even get to the playoffs with two wins. We just have to stay grounded.
“I think the biggest challenge is keeping the mindset of playing every game like it’s your first, and treating every game like a championship game because that’s where we want to be,” the Ateneo lifer added.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Meanwhile, Sizco Roquid provided a fitting finish to his 26-point outburst as University of the East outlasted defending champion University of Santo Tomas in overtime, 107-102, to notch its first Season 88 victory.
With the contrasting wins, Ateneo stayed atop the eight-team field alongside the National University Nazareth School Bullpups, both holding identical 2-0 records.
FEU-D, meanwhile, fell into a four-way tie for third with UE, De La Salle Zobel, and Adamson University.
Ateneo set the tone early, opening with a 21-10 first quarter. It then capitalized on a pivotal 12-2 second-quarter run — highlighted by a four-point spurt from Eriobu and a Zane Kallos floater — to enter halftime with a commanding 25-point lead, 53-28.
From there, the Blue Eagles remained in control. Two consecutive triples by Henry Madrangca and Kallos sparked a 19-8 run to start the third quarter, stretching the lead to a game-high 36 points at 72-36 with 4:09 remaining.
FEU-D mounted a spirited 21-6 run that carried into the final quarter, trimming the deficit to 78-57. But back-to-back inside baskets by Jay-M Leal kept the Baby Tamaraws at bay, down 82-57 with 5:26 left.
Leal finished with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting, along with 10 rebounds, four assists, and one block, while Madrangca contributed 15 points, including five triples. Ziv Espinas added nine points, eight assists, five rebounds, and two steals, and Kallos posted seven points, eight assists, and three rebounds.
In the earlier contest, Roquid came through when it mattered most. After Ivorian center JM Edoukou calmly sank two free throws to give the Junior Warriors a 103-102 lead with 2:09 remaining, Roquid capitalized on UST miscues.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
When Wacky Ludovice and Kirk Cañete missed separate layup attempts, compounded by a turnover from Ludovice, Roquid stole the ball and scored a layup, extending the lead to 105-102 with 48.3 seconds left.
Both Ludovice and Cañete then misfired on separate attempts for a game-tying triple. That let Roquid, a South City Homes Academy product, sink the dagger free throws and seal UE’s bounce-back victory after an opening-day loss to Ateneo.
After Simon Pulongbarit converted the inside shot that sent the game to overtime, the Junior Warriors methodically recovered from an early 97-102 deficit, with Cañete completing a four-point play and Pulongbarit converting an and-one layup.
“Marami na kami pinagdaanan ‘eh, tatlong taon na kami magkakasama,” UE head coach Karl Santos said. “Ako, babalik pa rin ako doon sa mga first two years na masasakit na talo, lalo na last year.
“Last year, we lost a lot of games na sobrang sakit. Sa akin, ginawa naming motivation na hindi na ‘yon mauulit [dahil] natuto na kami doon,” added Santos, who is also an assistant coach with PBA team Converge.
Roquid finished with 26 points, four assists, three rebounds, and two steals. Ethan Aguas recorded a dominant double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds, plus three assists, one steal, and one block.
Jamal Diaz added 13 points, four assists, and two rebounds, while Edoukou and Mhico Abellar chipped in nine points each.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
For FEU, Cabs Cabonilas tallied 14 points, two rebounds, and one assist before fouling out with under four minutes left, and Khean Esperanza added 10 points, three rebounds, and one assist.
Marc Burgos contributed eight points and nine rebounds, with two steals and one block, while Pat Sohm and Jheremy Godoy had eight points each.
Ludovice led the Tiger Cubs with 28 points, including six triples, along with four assists and three rebounds. Pulongbarit posted 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting, five rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
Jetlee Melano had 20 points and one steal, while Cañete finished with 13 points, 11 assists, and four rebounds.
The Scores:
Fourth Game:
UE (107) – Roquid 26, Aguas 18, Diaz 13, Edoukou 9, Abellar 9, Pascual 8, Delos Reyes 8, Orca 6, Timbol 5, Lorenzo 4, Braga 1, Bual 0, Oraa 0.
UST (102) – Ludovice 28, Pulongbarit 24, Melano 20, Cañete 13, Ajani 6, Lapastora 4, Vidanes 3, Candare 2, Bathan 2, Esteban 0, Sta. Maria 0, Acido 0.
Quarterscores: 18-28, 46-50, 74-76, 95-95, 107-102
Fifth Game
Ateneo (90) – Eriobu 22, Leal 17, Madrangca 15, Espinas 9, Banal 9, Kallos 7, Gatmaitan 4, Aquino 3, Molina 2, Lacsamana 2, Jazul 0
FEU-D (71) – Cabonilas 14, Esperanza 10, Godoy 8, Sohm 8, Burgos 8, Hall 7, Raneses 4, Cagurungan 4, Dagcutan 3, Gaye 3, Alagaban 2, J. Santos 0, Carino 0, D. Santos 0.
Quarterscores: 21-10, 53-28, 74-48, 90-71.
