University of Santo Tomas captured the inaugural UAAP Collegiate Men’s Table Tennis team event gold under the new format, sweeping surprise finalist University of the Philippines, 3–0, in the final on Wednesday at Gameville Central Park in Mandaluyong City.
The team event title marks the first step for the Tiger Paddlers in their bid to retain their overall crown.
UST will next turn its attention to the individual singles and doubles competitions, which begin on Friday, November 13, with the group phase matches.
Reigning MVP Abraham Antivo IV and last season’s Rookie of the Year Gerald Aguilar capped UST’s unbeaten 8–0 campaign with an 11–3, 11–3, 11–8 victory over Benz Florida and Mark Aguilar, extending the Tiger Paddlers’ ongoing winning streak to 66 consecutive team ties.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
“Yung mga preseason tournaments, malaking bagay po siya sa ‘min. Yung mga bago po namin, naka-gain sila ng experience. Sa mga seniors naman, nakita nila ‘yung skills na kailangang i-polish at i-improve,” said UST captain Antivo of the team’s preparations for the season.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
That experience proved valuable as national team standout Eljay Tormis and rookie Jebb Datahan gave UST a commanding 2–0 lead. Tormis defeated former UST high school standout and UP sophomore Jad Sandoval, 11–4, 11–4, 11–3, while Datahan dispatched fellow rookie Stephen Llemit, 11–7, 11–7, 11–1.
With the new format featuring both the team event and individual singles and doubles competitions, however, the job is far from finished for the seven-peat-seeking Tiger Paddlers.
“Yung team event po talaga is nagbibigay ng malaking puntos lalo kapag mag-gold. Pinag-igihan po namin para makuha ‘yung championship ngayon. Siyempre, para makaipon po kami ng points,” Antivo shared, referring to the 30 points UST earned from its team event gold.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
UP, meanwhile, booked its place in the final after stunning Ateneo de Manila University, 3–2, in the Final Four, with Sandoval displaying his championship pedigree from his days at UST.
The sophomore took down his former high school teammate Jhiven Clamucha, 11–8, 9–11, 11–9, 11–6, 11–7, in the deciding match to send the Fighting Maroons to the championship round.
UP drew first blood through Harvey Nieva, who defeated his opponent, 11–9, 6–11, 11–9, 11–6, but Kong Cabrido immediately responded for the Blue Eagles with an 11–7, 13–11, 11–9 victory over Earl Tolentino.
Ateneo then seized the lead after Zherdel Fresco and Carlos Docto defeated Florida and Aguilar, 11–3, 11–4, 7–11, 7–11, 11–3. However, Llemit restored parity with an 11–7, 5–11, 8–11, 12–10, 11–7 comeback win over Andrew Uy.
UST, on the other hand, booked its place in the final with a dominant semifinal victory over De La Salle University, with Antivo and Aguilar once again delivering the clinching result through an 11–5, 11–4, 11–9 sweep of Ashton Remaneses and Dave Saluna.
Tormis and Datahan also set the tone for the rout against the Green Paddlers. The graduating senior overcame Reyan Reg, 6–11, 11–6, 11–8, 11–9, while the rookie outlasted Red Torres, 11–4, 14–12, 8–11, 11–6.
Later in the day, Ateneo defeated DLSU, 3–1, to claim the bronze medal and its corresponding 20 points, with Andree Garcia sealing the podium finish through an 11–7, 8–11, 11–6, 6–11, 11–7 victory over Torres.
Cabrido gave the Blue Eagles an early 1–0 lead with an 11–9, 11–3, 11–5 win over Joseph Noriega Jr., but Reg equalized with an 11–8, 13–11, 5–11, 11–5 victory over Gabriel Misa.
Fresco and Docto then closed out Ateneo’s campaign with an 11–7, 8–11, 11–6, 11–8 win over Saluna and Remaneses.
