Games on Wednesday
(UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena)
7:30 a.m. – Ateneo vs UE (16U)
9:30 a.m. – UP vs AdU (16U)
12 p.m. – Ateneo vs UE (Women)
2 p.m. – Ateneo vs UE (Men)
4 p.m. – UP vs AdU (Men)
7 p.m. – UP vs AdU (Women)
VENGEFUL champion University of the Philippines (UP) shoots for a quick bounce back while Ateneo de Manila University races to an early lead when they take on separate opponents in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament Wednesday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion Arena in Manila.
The Fighting Maroons (0-1) were handed a reality check by host University of Santo Tomas (UST) with a 20-point beating in the opening weekend but there’s no crying over spilled milk for the wards of coach Goldwin Monteverde in a swift wind-up against the Adamson University Soaring Falcons (0-1) at 7 p.m.
At 2 p.m., the Blue Eagles (1-0) will try to expand their wings against the University of the East Red Warriors (0-1) to seize the UAAP leadership after missing the Final Four last season for the first time under coach Tab Baldwin.
“It’s really a tough loss but there’s no time to feel sorry about ourselves. We will move forward against Adamson,” said Mr. Monteverde as UP lost an opening game for the first time since 2022 to kick off their title defense on a low note.
“That was not the way we wanted to start the season. We need to improve on playing as a team together and playing harder. Sometimes, tough loss can really push us to work together and improve as a team.
UP has ruled the UAAP twice in the last four seasons, in which Diliman made it to the finals each season, but lost its championship core led by Finals MVP JD Cagulangan, Quentin Millora-Brown and Francis Lopez for a relatively young squad this year.
UST was quick to take advantage of that by romping to a convincing 87-67 win at home, snapping a nine-game, six-year losing spell to UP behind the monstrous 29-point, 17-rebound debut of former UAAP juniors MVP Collins Akowe.
Pressure is on Rey Remogat, a Mythical Team transferee from UE, to perform better and lead the Maroons after bleeding for just five points in his highly anticipated UP debut.
A stark contrast to UP’s flat start is its Katipunan neighbor Ateneo, which scored an 86-83 overtime win over Far Eastern University for a good kickoff after a 0-3 start last season that spelled doom for its first Final Four miss with a 4-10 slate in 11 years.
Still, Mr. Baldwin — who just signed a three-year extension with the Eagles until Season 91 — is not keen on getting ahead.
“It’s not the kind of performance that’ going to be indicative of a team that will get OT and deserves to get in the playoffs,” he said, crediting Jared Bahay alongside one-and-done players Kymani Ladi and Dom Escobar in making a big difference right away.
“It’s early with just our first game but it’s the UAAP, you blink and they’re here at your back. We can’t afford to have performances that puts wins and losses at risks.” — John Bryan Ulanday
