Reigning champion University of Santo Tomas and Finals rival Ateneo de Manila University opened their respective title bids with unbeaten records on the first day of the UAAP Season 89 Collegiate Men’s Table Tennis Team Event on Sunday at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City.
Two-time UAAP High School MVP Jebb Datahan made an impressive collegiate debut, leading the Tiger Paddlers to a pair of 3–0 victories over University of the East and University of the Philippines.
The homegrown standout dominated UE’s Miguel Panelo, 11–3, 11–7, 11–1, in the opening singles match before shaking off UP captain Luigi De Asis, 11–5, 10–12, 11–5, 11–3, to put UST on the verge of another sweep.
“Totally different talaga siya from high school; ‘yung experience ko talagang iba. Iba ‘yung pressure, iba ‘yung competitiveness, so kailangan ko lang talagang mag-focus para ma-overcome ‘yon at makalaro ng maayos,” said the super rookie, reflecting on his first taste of collegiate competition.
Following Datahan’s dominant performance against Panelo, Aljay Villena needed four games to turn back Francis Origenes, 12–14, 13–11, 11–9, 11–9, before Al J Sanchez and Dirk Atilano completed the sweep with an 11–7, 11–9, 8–11, 11–9 victory over John Louie Alcantara and John Zyrell Galang.
National team standout Eljay Tormis opened the scoring for the Tiger Paddlers against UP with an 11–5, 11–7, 14–12 victory over Stephen Llemit. Last season’s awardees, MVP Abraham Antivo IV and Rookie of the Year Gerald Aguilar, then teamed up to defeat Earl Tolentino and Benz Florida, 11–7, 11–6, 8–11, 11–6.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
Ateneo joined UST atop the men’s standings after also sweeping UE and archrival De La Salle University, both via 3–0 victories.
Zherdel Fresco won both of his doubles assignments with different partners to fuel the Blue Eagles’ strong start. The senior teamed up with Anton Gabi for an 11–3, 11–8, 11–2 rout of UE’s Dustin Reyes and Galang before pairing with Carlos Docto to defeat DLSU’s Ashton Remaneses and Dave Saluna, 11–6, 11–9, 11–5.
Rod Garcia took down Vincent Origenes, 11–6, 8–11, 11–4, 11–4, before Kong Cabrido made it 2–0 against the Red Warriors with an 11–7, 11–8, 12–10 win over Johnster Rosales.
The fifth-year senior also drew first blood against the Green Paddlers, defeating Reyan Reg, 11–6, 6–11, 11–6, 11–7, while Andrew Uy outlasted Red Torres, 11–7, 11–5, 11–8, to put Ateneo on the verge of another sweep.
Adamson University, meanwhile, bounced back from an opening-tie loss to deny Far Eastern University an undefeated start, pulling off a 3–1 victory over the Tamaraws.
The result left the Soaring Falcons, Tamaraws, and Green Paddlers level at 1–1, behind the two early leaders.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
Amiel Amora made up for his earlier defeat by securing Adamson’s first win against FEU, taking down Kharlou Piala, 11–7, 11–8, 14–12. The Adamson senior had absorbed an 11–5, 9–11, 6–11, 7–11 loss to Reg earlier in the day, allowing the Green Paddlers to secure their victory in the doubles match.
Amiel Sumadsad put the Soaring Falcons ahead with an 11–6, 11–13, 14–12, 11–9 win over Dane Piala before Sharif Abirin made it two straight, outlasting Christian Golez, 11–4, 10–12, 11–9, 9–11, 11–9.
FEU’s Julian Del Rosario and Ralph Digamon secured one point with an 11–8, 11–4, 11–5 victory, but Amora came through once more to seal the win for Adamson.
Del Rosario and Digamon had earlier gone undefeated in the morning session, helping the Tamaraws sweep UP, 3–0. They opened with an 11–9, 11–5, 11–8 victory before Kharlou Piala gave FEU a 2–0 cushion by turning back Harvey Nieva, 9–11, 11–4, 11–4, 11–8. Golez then completed the sweep with an 11–3, 11–4, 11–7 win over Llemit.
Remaneses and Saluna, meanwhile, gave La Salle its first victory of the day with a 3–0 sweep of Adamson. The duo survived a marathon against Aldrean Gacho and Laurence Cuaycong, 11–5, 7–11, 12–10, 9–11, 11–7.
Torres had earlier secured the first point for the Green Paddlers with a similar escape against Joshua Lascano, 11–8, 9–11, 11–13, 11–4, 11–7, before Reg defeated Amora to give La Salle a 2–0 advantage.
