MANILA — In a spectacular showdown at the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday (25 Nov 2023), the University of the Philippines (UP) triumphed over Ateneo with a 57-46 victory, putting an end to the Blue Eagles’ remarkable six-straight Finals appearances.

The Fighting Maroons, led by reigning MVP Malick Diouf’s outstanding performance, sealed their spot in the championship for the third consecutive year.

The top-ranked Fighting Maroons showcased their defensive prowess in a thrilling Final Four encounter, dominating the No. 4 Blue Eagles with a resilient third-quarter surge.

Now, UP eagerly awaits the winner between La Salle and National University in the upcoming best-of-three title series next week.

Diouf, who contributed 12 points, 16 rebounds, three steals, and three blocks, credited the team’s collective effort and solid preparation for their success against Ateneo.

The defeat marked the end of Ateneo’s era under coach Tab Baldwin, breaking a streak of four championships in six Finals appearances.

Reflecting on the roller coaster season, Baldwin expressed pride in his team’s resilience amid battles both on and off the court.

Despite a 7-7 record in the elimination round and various challenges, the Blue Eagles fought valiantly throughout the season.

In the women’s division, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) secured a thrilling 87-83 win over UP, setting the stage for an intense championship clash with eight-time defending champions National University.

UST’s victory marked their second Finals appearance in the last three seasons, and they will face NU in a highly anticipated showdown.

For UP’s distaff side, their resilient journey in the Final Four came to an end, finishing in third place. Despite the defeat, coach Haydee Ong commended her team’s hard work and acknowledged UP for putting up a strong fight.

The Tigresses’ path to the Finals was not without challenges, as they faced an overtime battle against UP last Wednesday.

With Kent Pastrana leading with 18 points and Brigette Santos scoring 14, UST exploded for 36 points in the first period.

Nigerian sensation Favour Onoh, who set a league record with 30 rebounds, continued her stellar performance with 21 points and 14 boards, while Kaye Pesquera contributed 20 points.

As the UAAP basketball season unfolds, the stage is set for thrilling championship clashes, promising intense competition and unforgettable moments on the court.

     The scores:

     UP (57) – Diouf 12, Lopez 12, Felicilda 10, Abadiano 9, Torculas 7, Cansino 3, Cagulangan 2, Alarcon 2, Pablo 0, Torres 0, Alter 0, Belmonte 0, Fortea 0.

     Ateneo (46) – Koon 10, Ballungay 8, Espinosa 7, Amos 6, Obasa 4, Brown 3, Chiu 3, Credo 3, Quitevis 2, Lazaro 0.

     Quarterscores: 7-11, 22-25, 42-37, 57-46

(ai/mnm)

Games Saturday (25 Nov)
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
11 a.m. – UP vs UST (Women Final Four)
2 p.m. – UP vs Ateneo (Men Final Four)
6 p.m. – DLSU vs NU (Men Final Four)

MANILA — In a commanding performance witnessed by 7,088 fans at the Mall of Asia Arena, Ateneo secured the last Final Four berth in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament with a lopsided 70-48 win over Adamson.

The highly anticipated showdown for the No. 4 spot turned into a one-sided affair, with Jared Brown leading the charge by scoring 14 of his 20 points in the first half.

The Blue Eagles established a substantial 40-26 lead at halftime and maintained their dominance throughout the game.

Now, having successfully staved off elimination in the playoffs, Ateneo faces the formidable task of defeating the top-ranked University of the Philippines twice in the Final Four to keep their title-retention bid alive.

The upcoming clash between the Blue Eagles and the Fighting Maroons, scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, promises to be a fierce battle.

Despite acknowledging their underdog status against UP, Ateneo coach Tab Baldwin expresses confidence in his team’s heart and hints at strategic surprises.

The Blue Eagles and the Fighting Maroons, frequent contenders in recent championship series, are set to renew their rivalry in pursuit of a coveted spot in the Finals. The teams previously split their head-to-head meetings in the elimination round.

In the other Final Four duel at 6 p.m., second-seeded La Salle, on an eight-game winning streak, will face off against third-ranked National University.

The Green Archers and the Bulldogs, with a 1-1 record this season, are expected to deliver another intense matchup.

The scores:

Ateneo (70) – Brown 20, Quitevis 11, Amos 10, Ballungay 7, Bongo 4, Obasa 4, Koon 3, Nieto 3, Credo 3, Espinosa 3, Lazaro 2, Chiu 0, Gamber 0, Tuano 0.

AdU (48) – Erolon 9, Hanapi 8, Calisay 5, Manzano 4, Yerro 4, Montebon 4, Sabandal 4, Magbuhos 3, Lastimosa 3, Barasi 2, Ramos 2, Colonia 0, Ojarikre 0, Cañete 0, Barcelona 0, Anabo 0.

Quarterscores: 24-15, 40-25, 56-39, 70-48

(ai/mnm)

MANILA — Reigning champion National U drubbed Adamson, 25-13, 26-24, 25-20, and booked a finals return trip in the Shakey’ Super League (SSL) Collegiate Pre-Season Championship Season 2 Sunday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

The Lady Bulldogs erased a 22-24 deficit in the second set before banking on a hot start in the clincher to score yet another straight-sets victory and shore up their back-to-back championship bid.

It’s the seventh sweep in a row for the mighty NU squad that needed only 83 minutes to capture the win in the knockout semifinals with skipper Erin May Pangilinan and reigning MVP Alyssa Solomon spearheading the way.

NU will face off against either Far Eastern U or University of Santo Tomas – which were still playing as of press time – in the best-of-three finale of the SSL Season 2 backed by Mikasa, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Summit Bottle Water, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, R and B Milk Tea, Potato Corner, Rebel Sports, Converge ICT Solutions, Genius Sports and United Auctioneers, Inc.

Pangilinan fired 11 points on seven hits, two blocks and two aces, including a bevy of clutch hits in the pivotal second set while Solomon cashed in 10 points on seven attacks, two blocks and an ace.

Former UAAP Rookie-MVP Mhicaela Belen, Evangeline Alinsug and rookie Arah Ella Panique contributed nine, eight and seven points, respectively, for the wards of returning mentor Norman Miguel.

“We have to check first kung sino makakalaban namin. From there, doon na manggagaling lahat ng adjustments namin. But again, ganoon pa rin naman sa finals kung ano yung tinatrabaho namin,” said Miguel, mentioning passing, blocking and floor defense as areas of improvement for his wards moving forward.

“Going into the finals, dapat sabay-sabay ang kundisyon nila. Yun ang kailangan naming trabahuhin.”

NU, which wiped out Pool A in the prelims and Pool E in the playoffs before making short work of the University of the East in the quarterfinals, 25-19, 25-21, 25-23, picked up where it left off by pouring it down on Adamson with a dominant 25-13 first-set win.

In the second set, Lady Bulldogs nearly yielded their first set all-tournament long after staring at a 22-24 deficit off an Ayesha Juegos’ hit for the Lady Falcons only for Pangilinan to come to their rescue.

Pangilinan’s thunderous attack forced the deuce at 24-all followed by Panique’s soft touch and her block on Jimy Jean Jamili to cap a 4-0 finishing kick for a thrilling 26-24 win.

The lethal duo of Belen and Solomon then took over from there, anchoring a 10-6 start in the third set en route to a sweep.

Jamili, Ayesha Juego and Jen Villegas fired seven each for Adamson, which will duke it out against the loser between FEU and UST for the bronze medal of SSL Season 2 in cooperation with the Commission on Higher Education and the Philippine Sports Commission.

Meanwhile, in the classification phase, College of St. Benilde trounced Ateneo, 25-20, 19-25, 25-11, 25-11, to arrange a duel against UE for fifth place. Ateneo and Arellano will fight for No. 7.

All SSL Season 2 games are accessible across all platforms live and on-demand through the social media pages of Plus Network and SSL with Solar Sports, Blast TV and Aliw Channel 23 as TV partner.

(ai/mnm)

Games Sunday

(Rizal Memorial Coliseum)
11 a.m. – Ateneo vs UE/AU
2 p.m. – NU vs AdU
5 p.m. – FEU vs UST

MANILA — Vengeful University of Santo Tomas fended off College of St. Benilde, 25-15, 25-16, 19-25, 32-30, in the thrilling knockout duel to catch the last bus in the Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Collegiate Pre-Season Championship Season 2 Final Four Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.

The Golden Tigresses wasted a huge lead in the fourth set before recovering in time behind the heroics of Regina Jurado, Jonna Perdido, and Bianca Plaza for a sweet payback in the extended quarterfinals against the gritty Lady Blazers after a tough five-setter defeat in Game 1.

UST, with a win-once bonus as the No. 2 seed, thus marched on to arrange a semifinal battle against Far Eastern U for a seat in the championship of the SSL Season 2 backed by Mikasa, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Summit Bottle Water, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, R and B Milk Tea, Potato Corner, Rebel Sports, Converge ICT Solutions, Genius Sports and United Auctioneers, Inc.

Reigning champion National U, the only unbeaten team in the tourney, and Adamson is in the other pairing of the knockout Final Four today (Sunday) with the survivors advancing to the best-of-three finale starting on Friday.

Regina Jurado unloaded 16 points on 15 hits, an ace, and a block, including a bevy of clutch hits in the fourth set to show the way for UST to replicate a Final Four feat in the inaugural season.

Perdido and Angeline Poyos added 16 and 15 points, respectively, while Plaza made her presence felt down the wire with four points highlighted by the last two points for UST to win the extended duel, 32-30.

“We’re a young team against a veteran St. Benilde squad na two-time NCAA champion. Nakita nyo kung gaano sila ka-solid, ayaw talaga bumitaw. Nanalo kami sa disgrasya. Nadisgrasya namin sila sa huling palo kasi lahat ng set-up at attacks at combination play namin, nakapag-adjust sila,” said UST mentor Kungfu Reyes.

“Credits to St. Benilde. ‘Yun nga, we’re a young team and nahatak kami ng nahatak going into the semis. Malaking bagay sa amin ito lalo twice-to-beat kami, tapos twice beaten. ‘Yun sana ang branding namin.”

On the heels of a 22-25, 25-23, 25-18, 23-25, 11-15 loss in Game 1, UST imposed its will early by taking a commanding 2-0 lead only to cool down in the third set with a 25-19 defeat as two-time reigning NCAA champion St. Benilde proved its pedigree once again.

The Golden Tigresses moved on the verge of a quick 3-1 victory with a 24-21 lead in the fourth only to witness another Lady Blazers’ fightback to force a deuce and even snatch the driver’s seat at 27-26 off a Gayle Pascual hit.

Jurado and Perdido took turns neutralizing Rhea Mae Densing’s late hammers for a 30-all score before Plaza, who just subbed in the match for blocking purposes, uncorked two straight surprise attacks to lift UST to the hard-earned win.

Pascual and Densing fired 16 and 15 points, respectively, for St Benilde under the watch of coach Jerry Yee.

Meanwhile, Ateneo takes on St. Benilde in the other bracket of the classification matches with the University of the East and Arellano playing as of press time for the 5th-8th spots in the SSL Season 2 in cooperation with the Commission on Higher Education and the Philippine Sports Commission.

All SSL Season 2 games are accessible across all platforms live and on-demand through the social media pages of Plus Network and SSL with Solar Sports, Blast TV, and Aliw Channel 23 as TV partners.

(AI/MNM)