National University and University of Santo Tomas launched their respective bids for supremacy in the UAAP Men’s and Women’s 3×3 Basketball Tournaments with strong performances on the opening day of Season 87, Monday afternoon at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque.
Powered by the offensive brilliance of Steve Nash Enriquez, who scored 14 points on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting from two-point range, the Bulldogs — composed of PJ Palacielo, Jolo Manansala, and Jake Figueroa — spoiled De La Salle University’s three-peat bid with a dominant 21-12 victory.
In their second game of the day against the University of the Philippines, NU found themselves tied at 12-all before unleashing a timely 9-3 surge to complete a perfect 2-0 start in the tournament supported by Molten.
Manansala led the Bulldogs — bronze medalists in Seasons 85 and 86 — past the Fighting Maroons with eight points and three rebounds, while Palacielo contributed five points and three boards.
“Yung experience magiging edge namin sa kanila kasi yung mga kakampi ko, matagal ko na kasama sa 5-on-5. Malaking advantage ‘yon, pati na yung mga kakampi ko kasi sobrang hardworking nilang lahat,” said Enriquez, who posted four points and one rebound against UP.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Mediaa Team
Meanwhile, the UST Growling Tigresses — Kent Pastrana, Eka Soriano, CJ Maglupay, and Karylle Sierba — made easy work of their opponents.
They cruised to a 21-5 rout of winless University of the East, fueled by Pastrana’s 10 points and three rebounds. Pastrana then led another charge with 11 points and four rebounds in a late rally that powered UST past Ateneo de Manila University, 21-14.
“Yung first game namin kanina, medyo mabagal yung intensity namin. Kaya pinagusapan namin na yung intensity na ‘yon, hindi na maulit sa second game at sa buong tournament kasi kailangan ibuhos na namin lahat ng makakaya namin at yung best para maging mas maganda yung resulta ng panalo,” said Pastrana, the Season 87 women’s basketball MVP runner-up.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Mediaa Team
Adamson University also ended Day 1 unbeaten, thanks to the efforts of Ray Allen Torres, Cedrick Manzano, Kenji Canete, and Emman Anabo.
The Soaring Falcons started strong with a 21-14 win over UP, with Torres delivering 11 points and four rebounds.
Adamson then sealed a Day 1 sweep by dealing defending champion La Salle a second straight defeat, 22-19, with clutch beyond-the-arc conversions from Anabo and Canete.
UST, FEU, UE, and Ateneo all ended the day with 1-1 records for joint third place, while La Salle and UP remained winless.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Mediaa Team
In the women’s division, Far Eastern University and University of the Philippines also stayed spotless at 2-0.
The Lady Tamaraws crushed Ateneo, 21-9, behind Shane Salvani’s explosive 13-point, six-rebound performance.
Yvette Villanueva and EJ Lopez added seven points apiece in FEU’s tight 20-17 win over UE. Max dela Torre completed the Lady Tamaraws’ roster.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Mediaa Team
Meanwhile, the Fighting Maroons narrowly escaped Adamson with a 15-13 overtime win, capped by a Louna Ozar deuce. They then stunned NU — silver medalists in Seasons 85 and 86 — with a thrilling 17-16 win, secured by a clutch layup from Christie Bariquit with less than 30 seconds remaining.
Achrissa Maw and Kaye Pesquera rounded out UP’s four-player unit.
NU and La Salle finished the day with identical 1-1 records for a share of fourth place, while UE, Adamson, and Ateneo ended winless after two games.
