University of the Philippines showcased its dominance over archrival Ateneo de Manila University with a commanding 28-point victory, 75-47, to enhance its pursuit of a twice-to-beat incentive in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Tournament on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
With this win, the Fighting Maroons secured their third consecutive victory, improving their record to 9-1 and solidifying their hold on solo second place.
They now enjoy a three-game cushion over the UE Red Warriors, who sit at 6-4 for the second seed.
This victory also allowed UP to further assert its superiority over its Katipunan neighbors.
The Fighting Maroons did not just replicate their 77-61 first-round win over the Blue Eagles on September 7. They also extended their winning streak over Ateneo to four games, dating back to the second round and semifinals of Season 86.
Following what was deemed their worst loss in the Tab Baldwin era, Ateneo’s hopes for a Final Four berth are now hanging by a thread. They fell to seventh place with a 3-8 record.
Moreover, this game marked Ateneo’s worst defeat in nine years. Their last significant loss was a 64-88 decision to Far Eastern University in Season 78 on September 6, 2015.
“For me, I would really learn a lot from Tab Baldwin. We know the program Tab has for Ateneo. We cannot approach the game relaxed; we really need to prepare for it,” said UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde after the Fighting Maroons completed a head-to-head elimination round sweep of Ateneo.
“During the course of the game, it’s not like things will just fall into place; you need to be able to react against his tactics.”
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
UP overcame a sluggish start in the first quarter, turning a slim 17-15 lead into a comfortable 37-21 cushion. That came from a dominant 20-6 run in the second frame, capped by a layup from Jacob Bayla and a long two-pointer from Gerry Abadiano.
The Fighting Maroons opened the third quarter with another impressive run, scoring 15 straight points to take a commanding 26-point lead at 54-28 – further demonstrating their dominance over a struggling Ateneo squad.
A late layup by Bayla in the final period pushed UP’s advantage to a game-high 30 points, sealing their ninth win in ten outings with a score of 75-45.
“We adapted to the changing defense of Ateneo. The team was able to adjust quickly; we moved the ball well and capitalized on our strength of getting the ball inside,” Monteverde added.
Francis Lopez had an efficient outing, scoring 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting, along with five rebounds, one steal, and one block.
Quentin Millora-Brown contributed 11 points, 10 rebounds, and a block. Bayla added eight points, six rebounds, one steal, and one block.
Reyland Torres provided an all-around performance with seven points, four rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
Gani Stevens also continued his consistent play with seven points on 3-of-3 shooting and three rebounds.
Looking ahead, the Fighting Maroons aim to further solidify their bid for a twice-to-beat advantage when they face the National University Bulldogs on Sunday, November 3, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Chris Koon led Ateneo in the losing effort with nine points, one rebound, and one steal, but also committed five turnovers.
Shawn Tuano added eight points, one rebound, one assist, and one steal.
On the other hand, the highly-touted rookie duo struggled in their second ‘Battle of Katipunan’ outing. Jared Bahay found himself limited to six points on 2-of-12 shooting, along with five assists, three rebounds, and one steal.
Meanwhile, Kristian Porter contributed four points but added 10 rebounds and a steal.
Ateneo will look to reignite their slim Final Four hopes in a crucial match-up against the FEU Tamaraws on Saturday, November 9, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The Scores
UP (75) – Lopez 20, Millora-Brown 11, Bayla 7, Torres 7, Stevens 7, Abadiano 6, Belmonte 5, Fortea 5, Alarcon 4, Cagulangan 2, Felicilda 0, Ududo 0, Briones 0, Torculas 0, Alter 0, Walker 0.
Ateneo (47) – Koon 9, Tuano 8, Bongo 7, Bahay 6, Porter 4, Balogun 4, Espina 3, Espinosa 2, Lazaro 2, Dela Cruz 2, Asoro 0, Quitevis 0, Reyes 0, Gamber 0, Edu 0.
Quarterscores: 17-15, 39-28, 66-40, 75-47
