University of Santo Tomas cemented its reign as king of UAAP Collegiate Table Tennis for the sixth consecutive season, completing a second straight season sweep with a 2-0 Finals series victory over Ateneo de Manila University on Friday at the Amoranto Sports Arena in Diliman, Quezon City.
The Tiger Paddlers not only secured this second collegiate championship of the season for UST — following the fifth straight men’s chess title — but did so in style, marking a milestone 60th consecutive win dating back to the second round of Season 82 (2019) and achieving a second straight season sweep.
“Overwhelming talaga, and I’m really proud to be a UST graduate and a UST coach,” said long-time head coach Jackson Que.
“Sinabi ko lang naman sa kanila na we always start from scratch, kasi zero-zero na ulit. Kaya we need to be humble and very vigilant sa lahat ‘yung mga tira namin at sa mga strategy namin. Kailangang ma-execute lahat.”
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The 59th and 60th victories were far from easy, as the Tiger Paddlers faced perhaps their toughest test of the season against the Blue Eagles, with both Finals ties coming down to a deciding singles match in the tournament, which is backed by Huaching Foundation and Topcoms Marketing Inc.
Fortunately, Abraham Paul Antivo and Gerald Aguilar rose to the occasion, delivering championship-clinching wins to prevent Ateneo from extending the series after taking a 2-1 lead in the second tie.
Antivo, eventually named MVP, overcame Wrency Abad in five thrilling sets, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9, to level the contest. Rookie of the Year Aguilar then rebounded from a first-frame setback to secure the tie and the title, 7-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8.
Ateneo had earlier threatened to halt UST’s remarkable run, as Mahendra Cabrido and the rookie duo of CJ Yamson and Gabriel Docto claimed wins against Josh Manlapaz and the pair of Prince Garcia and Ruiz Arc Marcelino.
Last year’s MVP Eljay Tormis put UST ahead with a 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5 win over Zherdel Fresco, but the Blue Eagles answered with two straight victories. Cabrido defeated Manlapaz, 11-8, 11-7, 10-12, 12-10, before Docto and Yamson swept Garcia and Marcelino, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8.
Just like a wounded tiger, however, this year’s top individual student-athletes, Antivo and Aguilar, struck back to claim the victory.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The first tie followed a similar storyline, with Aguilar and Antivo again taking the spotlight for UST after trailing 1-2.
Aguilar leveled the contest with an 11-5, 12-10, 5-11, 11-7 victory over Andree Garcia. Meanwhile, Antivo propelled the Tiger Paddlers to the brink of the title with an 11-5, 11-6, 12-10 win over Andrew Uy.
Manlapaz drew first blood, 13-11, 11-6, 11-9 over Yamson, but Cabrido stunned Tormis in the next match, 11-5, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8, to tie the contest.
Abad and Fresco then gave the Blue Eagles the lead with an 8-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 win over Marcelino and Al J. Sanchez, but that proved to be their last victory, as Aguilar and Antivo claimed the next two rubbers to secure the championship.
For Que, this six-peat was the result of collective effort and the team’s unique culture, which he takes immense pride in.
“Isa ‘yan sa mga strength namin kasi ‘yung team namin is very cohesive. Talagang buong-buo, and we trust each other. Parang kaming isang buong pamilya talaga — ‘yan siguro ‘yung sikreto namin,” said the multititled mentor.
