UP Maroons clears the air around Desiderio’s comments before UST game

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 6:07 PM, September 19, 2016

Updated 7:20 PM, September 19, 2016

HUSTLE. Paul Desiderio and UP doesn't fold even after UST goes up by 11. Josh Albelda/RAPPLER

MANILA, Philippines – Communication is key.

Before facing the UST Growling Tigers over the weekend, the UP Fighting Maroons had a discussion about the comments made by captain Paul Desiderio to the media following the team’s blowout loss against the DLSU Green Archers.

According to another one of UP’s team captains, Jett Manuel, both he and Desiderio first cleared the air about what he really meant before explaining it to the entire team.

“I spoke to Paul personally. Things like that happen, especially with the media, but I think good things came out of that,” Manuel said to Rappler after UP lost a close game against UST and dropped to 0-3 in UAAP Season 79.

“We were positive about it. At first we didn’t know what happened, why it just came out like that, but Paul’s a good teammate, good person, and honestly we got even closer after that thing,” Manuel added.

Following UP’s one-sided loss to La Salle, Desiderio told members of the media about how tired he had become with what felt like a losing mentality within the Maroons.

“Talo kami Adamson by 19, tapos ngayon by 18. Talagang nasa utak ng iba na okay lang matalo. Sa akin kasi kailangan sa utak ko manalo ka eh kasi wala, walang mangyayari sa amin nito kung ganito yung nasa isip,” he said, per FOX Sports.

(We lost to Adamson by 19, then to La Salle by 18. It’s really in the minds of some that it’s okay to lose. For me, you need to have a winning mentality because nothing will happen if that is how they think.)

“Sanay na sila eh, nasa utak na,” Desiderio also said. “Yun yung sinasabi ko sa kanila, ‘bakit ayaw niyo manalo?’ Halos parehas lang naman kami nagte-training kami. 'Yan yung binabago ko sa isip nila, kailangan mabago yung isip, na kaya nating manalo.”

(They’re already used to it. That’s what I told them, “Why don’t you want to win?” We all just train the same. That’s what I’m trying to change in them, that we need to believe we can win.)

Manuel said that it was important for the Maroons to set the record straight right away after the comments were made public and not let a possible issue linger the entire week leading up to the contest against UST.

“We tried to squash that issue right away. I mean, inisip nalang namin na (we just thought that) at least it came out early in the season. Something good came out of it, I feel, and that’s what we’re looking at nalang (instead),” he said.

Manuel led UP in scoring with 19 points in the 83-77 defeat against UST, while Desiderio finished with 12 points. Unlike in the Maroons’ losses to Adamson and La Salle, the team didn’t falter after going behind by double digits in the fourth period and even managed to tie the contest at 71-all.

But led by Louie Vigil, UST hit the big shots late in order to come away with the victory.

“After the game, well, it sucked,” admitted Manuel, but according to him, there were also some positive qualities taken from the loss.

“Thinking about it, I mean, I think it’s a good thing. It’s a good thing we hurt after losses. Gone are the days we lose and we feel like it’s okay. Gone are the days we lose and we [just] feel like, ‘Malakas talaga [ang kalaban], we can’t do anything.’”

If anything, UP is learning to deal with defeats and using them as learning experiences. The team could have easily let its morale drown after receiving a beatdown from La Salle, but the Maroons instead focused on areas for improvement and arrived ready to play the Tigers to the end.

“Coming off a really bad loss to La Salle, we didn’t let it affect us negatively. So we knew we had to prepare for being optimistic to get our first win, so the whole week we were focused, we were preparing, we learned from our mistakes,” said the veteran Manuel.

“And I think that’s what Coach Bo’s brought to us - focus, tapos na 'yun (it’s over). Focus on this game naman (instead).”

UP will have arguably its best shot at a first win on Wednesday, September 21, when it takes on another winless team in the UE Red Warriors. The Maroons feel there is some momentum on their side right now after playing well against UST, and according to their team captain, a victory is on the horizon.

“We really want to win, and as a leader of the team, I want to keep that energy going. We’re due a win. I feel we’re due a win with how hard we work and the effort we put in,” said Manuel. – Rappler.com

DLSU coach Ayo gets ejected after trying to put glasses on ref

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 5:50 PM, September 28, 2016

Updated 1:09 PM, October 01, 2016

LOOK, REF! Aldin Ayo (R) hands glasses to a game referee. Josh Albelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – DLSU Green Archers head coach Aldin Ayo was ejected in the second quarter of his team’s game against the UE Red Warriors on Wednesday, September 28, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Ayo, who was clearly unhappy with a non-call on what he felt was a foul on his point guard Thomas Torres by UE big Wilson Bartolome, got the eyeglasses of his assistant coach Siot Tanquingcen, walked to a game official on the baseline, and tried to put on the glasses on the referee.

Ayo then received two technical fouls and was ejected from the playing court. Under UAAP rules, a player or coach who is ejected is automatically suspended in his team’s next game, unless an appeal reverses the punishment after review.

If Ayo is suspended, he will miss La Salle’s game against Ateneo on Sunday, October 2.

As of posting time, La Salle leads UE at halftime. – Rappler.com

La Salle loses Ayo but beats UE in physical game

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 7:06 PM, September 28, 2016

Updated 7:08 PM, September 28, 2016

ANIM-O. Ben Mbala and La Salle move up to 6-0 in the UAAP. Photo by Josh Albelda/ Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – The DLSU Green Archers survived the ejection of their head coach and fought off a late rally by the UE Red Warriors to escape with an 84-78 victory on Wednesday, September 28, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

In what was an ugly and physical contest marred by fouls, heated moments, and turnovers, a late 3-ball by DLSU sophomore Andrei Caracut helped seal the win for his team and improved their record to 6-0 in UAAP Season 79.

UE, on the other hand, dropped to a still-winless 0-6 slate.

DLSU coach Aldin Ayo was ejected late in the second period for protesting what he felt was a non-call. He got the glasses of his assistant coach and tried to put it on one of the game's referees.

The Warriors erased La Salle's 14-point halftime lead and again trailed by double-digits in the final period, but a late Alvin Pasaol basket capped off a UE run and put his team within 4, 78-74, under two minutes to go.

Caracut then hit a 3-ball from deep to make it a 7-point game. In the final seconds, Kib Montalbo and Prince Rivero sealed the win at the foul stripe.

Ben Mbala led La Salle with 19 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while rookie Justine Baltazar had 14 points and 9 boards. Rivero produced 11 points and 8 rebounds in just 10.2 minutes.

Pasaol led UE with 22 points and 6 boards. – Rappler.com

Baldwin: Ateneo’s season going to be a roller coaster ride

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 9:00 AM, September 12, 2016

Updated 9:00 AM, September 12, 2016

IT'S A PROCESS. Tab Baldwin (in white) and Ateneo fall to 1-1 in the UAAP season. File photo by Josh Albelda/RAPPLER

MANILA, Philippines – For as good as the Ateneo Blue Eagles played in the fourth quarter of their last game - a season-opening win against the UST Growling Tigers - it was the opposite in the third period of their loss to the National University Bulldogs on Sunday, September 11.

Entering the half with the game tied at 32, Ateneo came out flat to open the third quarter. Turnovers, bad defense, and missed shots led to a 20-9 period in favor of the Bulldogs, who stayed on top the rest of the way to begin UAAP Season 79 with a 2-0 record.

“Our defense didn’t do it’s job. The offense actually generated some good shots; we just didn’t make them, and as I said, we’re going to be an up and down team offensively this year,” said Ateneo consultant Tab Baldwin after the contest.

“I don’t expect us to be an explosive offensive team, that’s why we cannot have lapses defensively, and that’s what we did in the third quarter.”

Ateneo allowed NU to shoot 41% from the field and sent the Bulldogs to the line for 25 free throws. In comparison, the Blue Eagles hit only 36% from the floor, went 6-of-12 from the foul stripe, and were also out-rebounded 46-39.

“Big issue for us,” Baldwin, the head coach of Gilas-Pilipinas, said about the battle of the glass, which figures to be a big issue for the team even moving forward. “We’re not big, we’re very young, we’ve got to learn to be aggressive without fouling, and it’s a process.”

Thirdy Ravena and Aaron Black, Ateneo’s top two scorers in its last game, combined for only 6 points on 3-of-16 shooting on Sunday. Only one player scored in double-figures for the Blue Eagles - Mike Nieto, who had 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting.

Baldwin, however, was still particularly pleased with the offense his team showed. The issue to him was that shots were just not falling in.

“We’re going to face a bunch of teams that are good teams and we’ve got to run offense to create good shots. Whether we make them or not is another story. As I said, start of the third quarter, we generated some good shots, we just didn’t make them,” he said.

“We have to keep doing that. Shots will fall. Eventually more and more will fall as these young kids get more comfortable with the league and what they’re doing, but initially, we don’t really have a go-to guy, so our offense has to work for us and we have to make shots.”

The true problem for him was on the other end, where 4 players for NU scored in double-figures. Rev Diputado finished with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, while Matt Salem scored 12 points and hit a trio of 3-pointers. Alfred Aroga and Reggie Morido scored 11 and 10 points, respectively.

“Where we don’t have any excuses is the defensive end and rebounding the ball. We’ve got to learn how to apply the right sort of aggression according to the UAAP rules and refs and interpretations,” said Baldwin, whose team will face defending champion FEU next.

“Stay out of foul trouble, and it is a process,” he emphasized. “I think this team is going to learn - they’re going to learn fast, they’re going to have to learn fast - but, [as] I said from the very, very beginning and I’ll continue saying it: I think this is going to be a roller coaster ride this year.” – Rappler.com

The quick rise of La Salle’s young blood

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 3:19 PM, September 27, 2016

Updated 3:19 PM, September 27, 2016

MANILA, Philippines – With 1:07 left in the third quarter, Adamson star freshman Jerrick Ahanmisi hit a 3-pointer to get his Falcons within 11, 61-50, of the DLSU Green Archers.

The scoreboard still showed that Franz Pumaren’s new team had a double-digit deficit to overcome to catch up with his old school, but Ahanmisi’s jumper was enough to wake up Adamson’s crowd and instil some concern on the greener side of the MOA arena.

The fear, if any, was short-lived. Seven seconds later, La Salle’s own prized recruit, Aljun Melecio, focused his eyes on the rim, blocked out the image of the hand of an Adamson defender aiming to swat his shot from behind, and let it rip. Swish.

With 33 seconds left in the period, Melecio tipped a Terence Mustre pass, raced to the other end of the court, received a dish from teammate Kib Montalbo, and converted a reverse lay-up. Just like that, the lead was back to 16, and the game didn’t really feel in jeopardy for the Green Archers the rest of the way.

“I don’t want to embarrass Coach Aldin [Ayo] for the confidence he shows in me. I want to show that it’s really worth it,” Melecio told Rappler in Filipino about the trust that’s being given to him, just 5 games into his UAAP senior career.

De La Salle is 5-0, the only remaining unbeaten team in the UAAP in Season 79. Truth be told, no other UAAP school has come close to matching these Green Archers, and that’s with their head coach believing they’re still 25% away from reaching top shape.

Scary? Absolutely. La Salle is loaded from top to bottom; a defensive juggernaut that personifies the team’s mantra of “mayhem” with the potential to explode on offense at any given time as well. Ben Mbala is a stud, and Jeron Teng remains this team’s Mr Constant. The rest of the supporting staff, from the impressive return of the “steady” Montalbo up to the vast improvement of Abu Tratter, has been complementary. (READ: Aldin Ayo’s confidence erases the doubt for Abu Tratter)

All of that was expected, especially after how DLSU went undefeated in dominant fashion during the Filoil preseason tournament.

But the rise of the team’s rookies, who look like major contributors already at such an early stage? That’s been quite surprising.

“We need everyone to be ready,” Mbala told Rappler during a private moment following their win over Adamson. That’s exactly what his freshmen teammates have been.

Whether it’s Melecio, who scored a career-high 13 points and hit a trio of 3-pointers; Baltazar, who had 7 points and 9 rebounds in only 15.7 minutes; or Ricci Rivero, who didn’t get much run against the Falcons but was clutch in La Salle’s last win over NU, the new kids on the block have been stepping up in the moment and giving their veteran teammates a run for their playing time.

“Kasi si (With) Aljun, parang (he’s like a) switch eh. Every time I call a play sa kanya (for him), he delivers,” Ayo said.

“Pag swinitch-off mo, wala (You can’t switch him off). But if you switch him on, talagang magpapakita (he really shows up). Even Ricci.”

Baltazar, a 6-foot-8 big man with a wingspan comparable to a foreign recruit’s, had his own shining moments against Adamson, even if it wasn’t as sexy as Melecio’s long-range bombs or Rivero’s baseline, side-step, and dagger versus the Bulldogs.

With 9:31 left in the fourth period, Baltazar rebounded a Teng miss. Montalbo then took a shot and it rimmed off, but there was Baltazar again to clean it up, leading to a scoring opportunity for Teng. With 8:51 remaining, Melecio missed a jumper, but, unsurprisingly, there was Baltazar to collect another offensive board thanks to relentless activity.

Those were 3 offensive rebounds in 40 seconds, which was even more impressive considering Adamson’s big man Papi Sarr was also in the paint. Compare the bodies of both guys, and you could never imagine such a result.

“After practice, Justine always stays in the gym, always works on his game, and always [tries] to get stronger by lifting. He always goes up to me and asks me tips – rebounding, posting up,” said Mbala.

“He really wants to learn and improve so he keeps working hard.”

Mbala currently leads the UAAP with an average of 16.8 rebounds a game, so having Baltazar go to him for instructions is a great idea for La Salle and not so much the other 7 schools in the UAAP. With that tutelage comes the basics of being great on the glass, but more importantly, the little secrets to grabbing those crucial boards.

For example: after practice, Mbala likes to sit down on the bench and watch his teammates shoot around. Is it fatigue? Not exactly. The Cameroonian big studies how each of his teammate likes to shoot, more specifically where the ball usually lands on the floor if it’s a miss.

“It’s about getting a good position and knowing how your teammates shoot,” Mbala explained.

The result of those one-on-one sessions were on display over the weekend, where Baltazar gave glimpses of not only what he can do for La Salle this year as the team is favored to crush the competition and win a title, but also of how dominant he can be as he develops even further into his career.

“I see him playing in the national team and being a [Raymond] Almazan-type of player. I really think he can be that good,” said Mbala.

This isn’t to say that what these 3 rookies are doing was totally unexpected. After all, Melecio was last season’s UAAP juniors MVP – where he put up explosive numbers in a number of games – while Baltazar came in second and won Finals MVP after leading the NU Bullpups to the title over, ironically, Melecio’s Junior Archers.

Rivero, meanwhile, averaged 25-8-2-2-1 last NCAA juniors season with La Salle Greenhills and would have been league MVP, had an ejection during a game in the first round not made him ineligible to win the award. Moreover, his high-flying highlights during exhibition games – especially during Steph Curry’s Manila tour last year – improved his stock.

But there was also a transition period expected for all 3 players before they became reliable contributers. Melecio’s 5-foot-7 height was a concern, and so was his adaptation to bigger and stronger opponents in the senior rank. Baltazar was a late shoo-in the line-up; a necessity after JBoy Gob was lost to a torn ACL injury. Rivero looked like he needed improvement with his fundamentals.

All 3 players, who have the potential to be UAAP superstars, have accelerated their developmental process.

“Medyo (a bit),” Ayo answered when asked if even he was surprised by how quickly the young blood has been contributing.

“Those guys naman, they have the confidence eh, kasi (because) I make sure na 'yung (those) 15 guys na 'yun, whatever happens, talagang maglalaro lang sila nang (they’ll just be playing) basketball.”

“Before the UAAP,” Melecio recalled, “I just told myself [to do] whatever I can contribute – either to set the team or scoring points, which would be really lucky. Now that the points are coming, it’s like a bonus for me.”

What he’s doing for the Green Archers has also been a major bonus for the team, which has met its heavy preseason expectations and has the potential to even surpass them. There was the belief entering the UAAP season that La Salle was going to be great; that there was no more-expected team to win a UAAP championship in recent memory.

The rise of these rookies might end up making DLSU even greater than initially imagined. – Rappler.com

Red Warriors played for themselves and not UE in UST loss - Pumaren

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 1:56 PM, September 11, 2016

Updated 1:59 PM, September 11, 2016

NOT GOOD. Derrick Pumaren feels UE should have done a better of job of making sure UST was put down for good. Photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – UE Red Warriors head coach Derrick Pumaren was clearly unhappy following his team’s defeat to the UST Growling Tigers on Saturday, September 10, which was their second loss in as many games to start UAAP Season 79.

Up 15 at one point in the first half, UE allowed the Renzo Subido-led Growling Tigers to outscore them by 13 in the third period, 30-17, before being unable to complete a comeback in the final minutes of the ballgame.

“We should have [taken] care of business when we were up. We simply ran away from what we were doing,” the head coach said.

“They thought that the game was over, but I kept reminding them that it’s far from over. They think they can do this, they can run away, they can make mistakes. And that’s what happened.”

UE shot 46% from the field and forced 21 UST turnovers in the first half to take a 47-39 lead into intermission. The Red Warriors finished the game shooting only 36% from the floor while the Growling Tigers made 48% of their attempts.

“We just showed flash of our brilliance tonight, and as I’ve said, we were there, but we were not going for the kill,” said Pumaren.

“I would say, [they are] still thinking of themselves instead of playing for UE.”

UST’s top 3 scorers were guards, led by Subido’s career-high 26 points. Jon Sheriff, not known for his point production, scored 15 points, while second-year man Marvin Lee added 14.

“The guards killed us - Subido, Lee, and even Sheriff. In fact when I arrived this afternoon, that’s what I told them - that I’m worried about the guards,” Pumaren said.

UE actually rallied from an 86-77 deficit with under 3 minutes remaining and cut the deficit to 86-85 with 1:49 to go. But eventually, missed shots from long range by Edison Batiller and Paul Varilla sealed their team’s defeat.

That type of decision making did not go well with their head coach.

“At the end, we did not play smart. We took bad shot selections. I don’t know why we had to shoot 3-point shots when we were only down by two points or one point, and that’s not playing smart at all.”

UE will aim for its first win against the defending champion FEU Tamaraws next Sunday, September 18. – Rappler.com

Aldin Ayo called Ricci Rivero’s number, and he delivered

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 12:05 PM, September 19, 2016

Updated 12:05 PM, September 19, 2016

MAGIC BUNOT. Ricci Rivero shines as La Salle goes up to 4-0. Josh Albelda/RAPPLER

MANILA, Philippines – With 1:43 left in the third quarter, the De La Salle Green Archers trailed the NU Bulldogs, 54-48, and were in danger of losing for the first time in UAAP Season 79. It was also in that sequence of the game when rookie Ricci Rivero out of La Salle Greenhills was inserted for the first time in the second half.

Rivero had played sparingly in DLSU’s first 3 games of the season, with his most notable accomplishment being a reverse dunk he completed on a fastbreak during garbage time to punctuate a 100-62 blowout over UST just 4 days prior.

On Sunday, the former LSGH superstar was expected to once again play only spot minutes when he entered against the Bulldogs. And true enough, he finished the match with a total of only 10.8 minutes.

But the difference this time was that in his brief appearance, he played a major role in ensuring his team’s fate.

“Actually he (DLSU head coach Aldin Ayo) always reminds me, ‘Be ready,’ and that I can contribute something to the team. Every training [session], I just show my willingness to do this and whatever. My willingness to win,” Rivero told Rappler in Tagalog after La Salle rallied from a 9-point third quarter deficit to beat NU and remain undefeated in 4 games.

In what was a potential preview of this year’s UAAP Finals, DLSU trimmed a 52-43 deficit with 2:54 left in the third period to 54-52 entering the final quarter. Four points from the Green Archers’ 9-2 run came from Rivero, who also helped apply pressure defense which created Bulldogs turnovers and woke up the La Salle crowd.

Rivero, who finished with 6 points on 3-of-4 shooting, didn’t score again until 1:59 left in the game, but when he did, it was off a beautiful euro step on the baseline which put his team ahead 68-61, essentially sealing the contest in stylish fashion.

Ricci Rivero. What. A. Move.#UAAPSeason79 pic.twitter.com/azNyiwvPe4

— ABS-CBN Sports (@abscbnsports) September 18, 2016

“He told me, ‘I’m going to use you, be ready,’” Rivero recalled a conversation with Ayo. “I don’t look for points, unlike in high school where every game, even if I was exhausted, I could score. But it’s so different in college that you always have to be ready.”

Rivero also doesn’t need to always produce in the scoring department as often as he did in high school. DLSU, after all, is arguably the deepest team in the UAAP.

“Even if coach closes his eyes and he points at someone randomly, [that guy] can contribute. That’s how strong the line-up is. I really don’t look to score. I settled in on defense, and I showed my willingness to win,” said the athletic standout.

NU gave DLSU its biggest challenge so far by dictating the tempo and pace of the game, relying on solid defense, and sharing the ball on the other end. But, just like flipping a switch, La Salle was able to turn momentum around in such a short span, and for Rivero, one reason why that was is due to how close the bond of the team is.

“We’re very close, because when coach was just introducing his system, we had a lot of team building, we joined a lot of leagues,” he said.

Right now they’re on top of the standings in the league that truly matters, and if the game against NU is an indication, they may be there for a while. – Rappler.com

Ateneo holds on late to defeat defending champion FEU

Jane Bracher

@janebracher

Published 4:14 PM, September 14, 2016

Updated 4:31 PM, September 14, 2016

2-1. The Ateneo Blue Eagles go up 2-1 after overcoming the FEU Tamaraws. Photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The Ateneo Blue Eagles staved off a late rally by defending champions FEU Tamaraws to come away with a 76-71 victory in the UAAP Season 79 men's basketball tournament on Wednesday, September 14, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Blue Eagles, who blew an early 23-10 advantage, converted clutch baskets in the final two minutes to break off a 66-all deadlock courtesy of Richard Escoto with 2:15 left to play.

Thirdy Ravena knocked down two of his 17 points while Anton Asistio completed a 3-point play for a deciding 5-point swing that gave Ateneo a 71-66 advantage with still 1:22 to go.

"Going into the game we knew we're up against a tough FEU. They're a very good rebounding team and they're a very good defensive team who forces a lot of turnovers," said head coach Sandy Arespacochaga.

"We still got out rebounded (48-42) but we really played to get those rebounds. Everybody had a certain effort in boxing out and getting those rebounds."

Adrian Wong had 13 points while Jolo Mendoza added 10 markers on two-for-two shooting from downtown. Mike Nieto came up with 9 points and 11 rebounds as Chi Ikeh added 8 points and 7 boards.

"We gave our effort," Ravena said in Filipino. "This game is about who wants it more. FEU is not a big team, they have a really big heart, they give it 100% every possession."

The Tamaraws had Wendell Comboy exploding for 16 points in the first half to wind up with a game-high 20 on 7-of-13 field goals plus 6 rebounds and two assists.

Raymar Jose had a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, with 6 on the offensive glass, while Prinze Orizu likewise had 16 markers along with 16 boards.

Ateneo improved to a 2-1 record while FEU fell to 1-2. – Rappler.com

NU holds off Ateneo for 2-0 start

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 6:42 PM, September 11, 2016

Updated 6:51 PM, September 11, 2016

STROKING IT. Matt Salem had 8 points in NU's big third period. File photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – The NU Bulldogs started the third quarter with intensity on the defensive end and hot shooting on offense to pull away from the Ateneo Blue Eagles and come away with the win, 70-60, on Sunday, September 11, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

The win gave National U a 2-0 record to open UAAP Season 79, while Ateneo’s loss dropped its record to 1-1.

Third-year guard Rev Diputado had an all-around performance with 16 points, 7 boards, and 3 assists, while stretch big man Matt Salem stepped up with 12 points, including 8 in the game-changing third quarter, plus 8 rebounds. Alfred Aroga also played well with 11 points and 6 boards.

After leading Ateneo in its last win vs UST, Aaron Black and Thirdy Ravena combined for only 6 points on 3-of-16 shooting on Sunday. Mike Nieto had 14 points and 5 boards for the Blue Eagles.

NU out-scored Ateneo 20-9 in the third quarter and limited the Blue Eagles to only 36% shooting overall. The Bulldogs converted 41% of their attempts and out-rebounded their opponents, 46-39. – Rappler.com

Pumaren admits game vs DLSU will be 'weird'

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 2:17 PM, September 22, 2016

Updated 2:17 PM, September 22, 2016

A DIFFERENT SHADE. Franz Pumaren and his Falcons will face DLSU for the first time in the UAAP this weekend. File photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – How would you feel if for the first time in 7 years, you were to see your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend with whom you had great times on the opposite side of the room?

In basketball terms, that may be the case for Franz Pumaren when his Adamson Soaring Falcons take on the DLSU Green Archers this weekend.

"Of course, it's going to be weird," Pumaren admitted on Wednesday, September 21, following the Falcons' win over the NU Bulldogs. "I'll be seeing old friends... we just have to keep the game close."

Wearing (navy) blue instead of green for the first time in his UAAP coaching career, Pumaren's tenure at Adamson is off to a good start. The Falcons have won 3 of their first 4 games in UAAP Season 79, and the latest victory over the Bulldogs was against a team some expect to make the finals.

But on Saturday, Adamson faces a different kind of beast. La Salle is undefeated at 4-0 early in the UAAP season, living up to the lofty expectations placed on the team pre-season as the consensus favorite to win the championship.

"They're a hands-down favorite," Pumaren said about the Aldin Ayo-coached club. "If you just look at their line-up, I think they're quite deep one to 16. It's just one of those scheduled games that we have to play them."

Adamson will have to find a way to limit MVP candidates Ben Mbala (19.3 PPG, 17.0 RPG) and Jeron Teng (19.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG), as well as the rest of the team's solid supporting cast.

The Soaring Falcons may also have to deal with fatigue, since the game against DLSU will be their third UAAP contest in just 7 days.

"But we're not going to use this as an alibi or excuse; coming off a killer schedule this week – we played last Saturday, we played Wednesday, we [play] Saturday – we just have to dig deep for us to compete with the powerhouse La Salle," Pumaren said.

The win against NU, however, indicates Adamson is already progressing even quicker than the coach anticipated under the Pumaren era. Despite being the younger roster, it were the Falcons who looked like the more poised and veteran club down the stretch in the fourth period against the Bulldogs, who committed multiple turnovers to seal their loss.

Papi Sarr had his best game of the season in the win, finishing with 13 points and 17 boards. As an individual, he'll face the biggest challenge so far in his two-year UAAP career when he matches up against Mbala on Saturday.

But don't tell him that.

"I don’t want to talk about the matchup, I just want to have fun," the big man said.

"I trust my team. We're going to play as a team, not individual players. So I don't want to talk about the matchup. I want to focus on that and have fun."

Pumaren, though, made sure to say with a laugh that, "according to [Sarr's] mom, he's better. Better player, better looking."

On Saturday, there won't be as many jokes, especially during game time. Pumaren's 11-year run as DLSU's head coach included 5 championships (6 if you count the one taken away in 2004) and countless memories. But now, he's in the opening stages of trying to establish similar feats for Adamson.

The Falcons already faced the Green Archers in this summer's Filoil tournament and lost 98-88, but this time, their game is going to be in the UAAP, where their head coach earned a solid reputation for being a competitive and successful tactician.

So despite coming in as the underdog against La Salle, Adamson's not likely to easily fold.

"I've seen [La Salle]. They have all the materials. I think they're the favorite team even from the very start. We'll see," said Pumaren.

"It's going to be a fun game. I hope we can sustain our run, keep the game close, and we'll see what will happen." – Rappler.com

FEU sends UE to 0-3 start

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 6:52 PM, September 18, 2016

Updated 6:52 PM, September 18, 2016

MINE. Raymar Jose (L) has 22 rebounds in FEU's win over UE. Josh Albelda/RAPPLER

MANILA, Philippines – The FEU Tamaraws bounced back from their loss to Ateneo by defeating the UE Red Warriors in a closely-fought game, 67-59, on Sunday, September 18, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

FEU lost a double-digit second half lead after UE rallied, but the Tamaraws made the big plays late in the fourth period to pull away and improve their record to 2-2. The Warriors, on the other hand, have now started the UAAP season 0-3.

Monbert Arong, who was clutch in crunch time, had 16 points and 5 rebounds while big man Raymar Jose recorded 11 points and 22 boards.

UE had only one player score in double figures – Mark Olayon, who had 12 points and 6 rebounds.

FEU pulled away, coincidentally, beginning with a play where Clark Derige of UE hit a 3-ball to make it a 62-59 game.

As the ball was up in the air, Wilson Bartolome was called for a foul on Ron Dennison which earned a disqualification. The consequence was two free throws and ball possession for the Tamaraws, who went ahead 66-59 after Allen Trinidad made both charities and Arong converted a layup.

The Red Warriors went cold from the field after, leading to the loss. – Rappler.com

La Salle wins close battle over NU in potential finals preview

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 4:23 PM, September 18, 2016

Updated 4:39 PM, September 18, 2016

MR RELIABLE. Jeron Teng comes alive when his team needs it most. Josh Albelda/RAPPLER

‪MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – In what was a potential preview of the UAAP Finals, the De La Salle Green Archers rallied from a 9-point deficit in the third quarter and defeated the NU Bulldogs, 75-66, on Sunday, September 18, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.‬

‪Led by the clutch play of Jeron Teng, all-around performance of Ben Mbala, and big-time contributions by the supporting cast, DLSU won the battle between undefeated teams and improved its record to 4-0.‬

‪NU, for its part, dropped to 2-1.‬

‪Teng led all scorers with 23 points, while Mbala put up 16 points, 15 rebounds, and two steals. Ricci Rivero and Abu Tratter both played well with 6 points each, including big baskets down the stretch.‬

‪Matt Salem, who used to play for the Green Archers, led NU with 15 points and 9 rebounds. Alfred Aroga was limited to only 2 points and had 7 turnovers.‬

‪La Salle began its game-clinching rally when it was down 57-56, as Teng converted 3 straight baskets. Salem converted a pair of lay-ups as well to make it a 62-61 game, but DLSU pulled away after Tratter converted two straight baskets for some breathing room.‬

‪A side-step from a baseline drive by Rivero eventually sealed the win for his team as they went up 68-61 with two minutes to go. ‬– Rappler.com

Manuel leads late as UP earns first win

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 4:28 PM, September 21, 2016

Updated 4:39 PM, September 21, 2016

LEADING BY EXAMPLE. Jett Manuel delivers for UP against UE. Photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Thanks to a clutch jumper and free throws by captain Jett Manuel, the UP Fighting Maroons earned their first win of UAAP Season 79 by defeating the still-winless UE Red Warriors, 75-71, on Wednesday, September 21, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The win improved the record of UP to 1-3, while UE dropped to 0-4 with only 3 games remaining for each team in the first round.

Paul Desiderio led UP with 17 points and 10 boards, while Manuel added 17 points and 4 rebounds. Dave Moralde also played well with 13 points and 5 boards.

UE was led by the 15 points and 6 rebounds of Mark Olayon. Bon Batiller had 14 points on 3-of-10 shooting.

The game was tied with a little over a minute to go when Manuel pulled up at the free throw line for a tough, go-ahead jumper, 71-69. After a few empty possessions for both teams, Manuel was then fouled with 26.9 seconds left and hit both free throws to make it a two-possession game.

Olayon then missed a 3-ball from the corner, leading to a trip to the free throw line for Jerson Prado who converted both charities and sealed the contest. – Rappler.com

– Rappler.com

Salem’s big game lifts NU past struggling UP

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 4:18 PM, October 01, 2016

Updated 4:26 PM, October 01, 2016

ANOTHER ONE. NU wins its second straight game on Saturday against UP. Photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

‪MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The UP Fighting Maroons’ downward spiral continued with a loss to the NU Bulldogs, 80-69, on Saturday, October 1, at the Mall of Asia Arena.‬
‪

Led by the career-high 26 points of Matt Salem, the Bulldogs avoided a fourth quarter meltdown to improve their record in UAAP Season 79 to 4-2. UP, on the other hand, ended its first round with a 1-6 record.‬
‪

Salem shot 9-of-13 from the field and also pulled down 6 boards while Rev Diputado and rookie JV Gallego each scored 12 points in the winning effort. ‬
‪

UP, which shot only 33% from the field, was led by the 21 points and 4 rebounds of captain Jett Manuel.‬
‪

After trailing by 11 at halftime, UP clawed its way back and was within two, 59-57, with 4:16 left. The Maroons’ momentum, however, was short-lived.‬
‪

A foul by big man Andrew Harris on Mohammad Salim injured the Bulldog forward. Since Salim was unable to shoot the free throws, Salem stepped up to the line and hit both. Salem then converted another free throw after a technical foul was assessed to Harris for resentment to a call.‬
‪

Getting the ball back due to the technical foul, NU went to Gallego, who attacked the paint, got the foul, made the basket, and then completed the and-one play. Just like that, NU’s lead was back up to 8, and the Bulldogs held on the rest of the way.‬
‪

NU closes its first-round campaign against the FEU Tamaraws on Wednesday, October 5. ‬– Rappler.com

FEU holds off UST for 3rd straight win

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 6:46 PM, October 01, 2016

Updated 6:48 PM, October 01, 2016

GETTING THAT W. Prince Orizu (L) and FEU prevail over UST. Photo by Josh Abelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – The FEU Tamaraws made it 3 wins in a row following their victory over the UST Growling Tigers, 79-72, on Saturday, October 1, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

Taking control of the contest before halftime, FEU stayed on top the entire second half and held off UST’s rallies late in the fourth period to win for the fourth time in 6 games in UAAP Season 79. The Growling Tigers dropped to 2-4 in the league standings.

Allen Trinidad led the Tams with 17 points on an effective 5-of-9 shooting plus 5 boards, while Raymar Jose scored 16 points and pulled down 10 rebounds.

Louie Vigil led the Growling Tigers with 16 points, while Marvin Lee added 13 points, 6 boards, and 5 assists.

UST closes its first round against Adamson, while FEU will face NU on Wednesday, October 5. – Rappler.com

UAAP: Ex-Bulldog Alolino has faith in Alejandro’s leadership

Jane Bracher

@janebracher

Published 7:50 PM, September 10, 2016

Updated 7:50 PM, September 10, 2016

NEW LEADER. Jay Alejandro will be one of NU's leaders for UAAP Seasno 79. Photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – Former National University captain Gelo Alolino expressed faith and confidence in last year’s backup guard Jay Alejandro as he inherits a leadership role for UAAP Season 79.

The 22-year-old Alolino graduated last year but was back courtside on Wednesday, September 7 to watch the Bulldogs clamp on the UE Red Warriors, 72-66.

“With Jay it’s a matter of being a leader,” Alolino said in Filipino of Alejandro, who is now one of two leading veterans for NU. “I’m no longer there but they still are and I told Jay he needs to lead the team because that’s his job with Alfred (Aroga), to motivate him. But it’s up to them, it’s still a collective effort.”

Alejandro and veteran big man Alfred Aroga are co-captains for Season 79. Unlike previous seasons, there are expectations Alejandro has to meet as NU attempts a return trip to the Finals after winning the title in 2014.

“I want him to feel the responsibility he has to deliver on and off the court. So far I saw him even on the bench he was cheering on his teammates,” Alolino said of Alejandro.

The 21-year-old Alejandro, playing in his fourth year, is embracing the new test ahead of him.

“It’s a challenge for me because it’s the first time I’ll lead the team after years of having Gelo around,” he said after tallying 13 points in NU’s first win. “It’s time for me to step up. It’s a challenge to me to lift everyone up.”

Gelo Alolino seen in the UAAP Finals against FEU in 2014. File Photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

Alejandro and Alolino have kept in constant touch throughout the year and Alolino, who has been busy with the PBA D-League and the Gilas cadet pool, dropped by practice days before the season began to offer advice.

“Whatever Jay saw in me, I hope he brings it to the team now,” Alolino said. “I expect both of them (Alejandro and Aroga) to carry heavier responsibilities. But I’m confident in those two. With Jay we always talk.”

“I may not be able to go to practices but we try to text. I’m always one text away,” he added.

It was Aroga who led NU to its first win on Wednesday with crucial baskets and rebounds in the final minutes. Watching this Bulldogs team sans Glenn Khobuntin, Troy Rosario, and himself, Alolino knows they still have what it takes to go all the way.

“I still have faith in the team,” Alolino said. “Coach Eric (Altamirano) and the management offer full support. It’s up to the players how they will follow instructions and deliver. But I have 100% support and belief in NU.”

NU’s next assignment is Ateneo on Sunday, September 11. – Rappler.com

Ben Mbala dominates as La Salle blows past UP

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 7:06 PM, September 10, 2016

Updated 7:16 PM, September 10, 2016

CHALK IT UP. Ben Mbala (L) was all over the floor in DLSU's victory over UP. Photo by Josh Abelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – Thomas Torres found an opening to the lane and threw up the ball, which was caught and slammed by Ben Mbala for the alley-oop. On the next play, UP turned the ball over, giving Mbala a free run to the rim for another slam. It was that kind of a game for University of the Philippines.

Led by a stat-sheet stuffing performance by Mbala, the DLSU Green Archers improved to 2-0 in UAAP Season 79 after defeating the UP Fighting Maroons, 89-71, on Saturday, September 10, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

Mbala, DLSU’s big man from Cameroon, finished with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks, while Abu Tratter and Jeron Teng pitched in 12 points apiece. La Salle shot 49% from the floor and forced 34 UP turnovers.

The Maroons dropped to 0-2. Paul Desiderio led them on Saturday with 21 points and 7 rebounds while Jett Manuel added 13 points and 3 assists. UP, which was out-scored 33-18 in the deciding third period, trailed by as much as 28. – Rappler.com

Recovering Teng to miss DLSU-ADMU game

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 12:16 PM, October 01, 2016

Updated 1:02 PM, October 01, 2016

OUT OF ACTION. Jeron Teng (in green) decides to remedy a nagging injury. File photo by Josh Albelda/RAPPLER

MANILA, Philippines – DLSU Green Archers veteran Jeron Teng has decided to remedy a recurring ankle injury that will make him miss his team’s upcoming game against rival Ateneo and at least a week of action, a UAAP source told Rappler on Saturday, October 1.

La Salle’s game against Ateneo – the first time both teams meet in UAAP Season 79 – takes place on Sunday, October 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

According to the source, Teng was suffering from a painful right ankle sprain which he sustained during La Salle’s Filoil preseason win against the FEU Tamaraws last June. The fifth-year forward has been playing through the pain since, compensating with his right leg that has also presented issues.

The source said Teng also has a “Jumper’s Knee” problem, although it’s not as severe as his ankle injury. The former UAAP Finals MVP underwent an MRI, which revealed a tiny bone spur. Following an ultrasound, it was discovered the spur had been causing friction in the joints.

After disintegrating the spur through a minor operation, Teng went through a Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) procedure on Friday at the University of Sto Tomas to deal with the nagging ankle.

The procedure was handled by Dr Isagani Leal, who according to a UAAP source, is one of the leading exponents of the PRP procedure in the Philippines. Leal has worked in the past with PBA star Jayson Castro, and also remedied Jeron’s brother, Jeric Teng, who dealt with a shoulder issue in his last year with the UST Growling Tigers.

The procedure will make Teng rest for at least a week, putting the game against the Blue Eagles certainly out of the question. Depending on the schedule release, Teng is also most likely to miss La Salle’s first contest in the second-round of the UAAP men’s basketball tournament next weekend.

Teng could miss more games if he needs more time to rest the injury or for strengthening. The UAAP MVP candidate has so far averaged 16.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists a game this season.

The Green Archers are unbeaten in Season 79 through 6 games.

Late Friday night, Teng posted on Twitter: “Minor setback for a major comeback.”

Minor setback for a major comeback

— Jeron Teng (@jeronteng) September 30, 2016

Appeal

Teng is not the only major component of La Salle expected to miss the contest against Ateneo (4-2). Following his flagrant unsportsmanlike disqualifying foul which led to an ejection in DLSU’s last game against UE, Green Archers head coach Aldin Ayo is suspended for the game against the Blue Eagles.

A UAAP source told Rappler that La Salle sent a letter of appeal to UAAP Commissioner Rebo Saguisag on Friday for the reversal of the suspension. The source added that DLSU may also have sent a letter of apology from Coach Ayo for his actions.

Late in the second quarter of the game against UE, Ayo grabbed the eye-glasses of assistant coach Siot Tanquincen and tried putting it on one of the game’s referees, leading to the ejection. After the match, Ayo respectfully declined to comment on the issue when approached by the media.

As of posting time, Saguisag has not responded to Rappler for comment. – Rappler.com

Adamson improves to 3-1 after taking down NU

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 6:57 PM, September 21, 2016

Updated 6:57 PM, September 21, 2016

BIG DOES WORK. Papi Sarr (L) goes for a lay-up during Adamson's most recent win. Photo by Josh Albelda/ Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – The Adamson Soaring Falcons have started UAAP Season 79 winning 3 of their first 4 games after defeating the NU Bulldogs, 64-51, on Wednesday, September 21, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

In what was a close game all throughout the contest, the younger Falcons looked like the more poised team down the stretch by getting big stops and quality looks on offense to seal the victory.

Papi Sarr had his best game of the season with 13 points and 17 boards while Frederick Tungcab finished with 11 points in the win.

Alfred Aroga led the Bulldogs with 17 points and 13 boards. J-Jay Alejandro was held scoreless in 26.5 minutes.

The game started to get away from the Bulldogs when Jerrick Ahanmisi converted a 3-point play to give his team a 56-51 lead with two minutes left. Later with 45.5 seconds remaining, Sean Manganti drilled a baseline pull-up to give the Falcons an 8-point edge.

NU, which had 4 turnovers in the final two minutes and 20 overall for the game, didn’t score the rest of the way, and dropped to 2-2 in the league standings. – Rappler.com

Subido’s breakout game leads UST past UE

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 4:42 PM, September 10, 2016

Updated 5:35 PM, September 10, 2016

TIME TO SHINE. Renzo Subido (in yellow) scored 9 points in the third quarter where UST took control of the lead. Photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – He had to wait 3 seasons, but Renzo Subido finally had his breakout game in the UAAP.

The combo guard scored 26 points to lead his UST Growling Tigers in a come-from-behind victory over the UE Red Warriors, 88-87, on Saturday, September 10, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

Subido scored 9 points in the third quarter where UST entered facing an 8-point deficit and turned it to a 5-point lead entering the final period.

The Growling Tigers went up to 1-1 in the league standings, while the Red Warriors - a Final Four contender - dropped to 0-2 to start Season 79.

Subido, a former De La Salle Zobel high school player, shot 9-of-16 from the field and also pulled down 4 rebounds. Jon Sheriff added 15 points and 4 assists while Marvin Lee had 14 points.

UE, which led by 14 in the second period, rallied from a 9-point deficit with 3 and a half minutes left after a scoreboard malfunction caused a temporary delay at the arena.

The contest was eventually a two-point game, 87-85, with under 20 seconds left, but Edison Batiller missed the go-ahead 3-ball. Later on, Paul Varilla missed his own 3-pointer, sealing his team’s defeat.

Batiller led UE with 15 points and 11 boards while Nick Abanto had 15 points and 8 rebounds. – Rappler.com

How the relationship of Ayo, Altamirano goes a long way back

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 11:53 AM, September 17, 2016

Updated 11:53 AM, September 17, 2016

HEADLINER. Aldin Ayo (L) and La Salle will take on Eric Altamirano (R) and NU in a battle of undefeated teams.

MANILA, Philippines – When the undefeated DLSU Green Archers face the also unbeaten NU Bulldogs on Sunday, September 18, it will feature arguably the two best teams in the UAAP today.

The matchup will also include two coaches who aren’t strangers to winning championships – veteran NU coach Eric Altamirano and new DLSU coach Aldin Ayo.

Here’s something you may not have known about the two: it was actually Altamirano, 6 years ago, who introduced Ayo to the basketball coaching scene in Manila.

“Well actually, he was the first one who brought me here to Manila,” Ayo told Rappler this week, following DLSU’s 100-62 win over UST.

“Galing sa Sorsogon (Coming from Sorsogon), he brought me for the Nike Elite camp. That was 2010. That was the time I was able to Coach Mark Cruz also, before Mark went to Letran for the college. I coached him there at Brent.”

Ayo, a former player for the Letran Knights in the NCAA, admitted he had no plans of moving to Manila before Altamirano invited him over.

“Before, sa Sorsogon lang ako (I was staying only in Sorsogon). Before, I didn’t have any plans of coming here, but he was the one who actually showed me ganito pala yung basketball sa Manila (this is how basketball is in Manila).”

Ayo, who like many others refer to Altamirano as “Coach E”, also shared that he was constantly a part of the NU head coach’s NBTC (National Basketball Training Center) for high school students and has maintained a good relationship with Altamirano and the rest of his family.

In a way, Altamirano’s invitation to Manila helped Ayo get used to the coaching landscape in the country’s capital, which paved the way for him to become the head coach of Letran. In 2015, Ayo led the Knights to their first NCAA title in a decade, and not long after, was offered the head coaching spot in La Salle.

Contender

When asked about the upcoming game against NU, Ayo complimented the basketball program that Altamirano created for the Bulldogs who, so far this season, have won against UE and Ateneo.

“Malakas din yung NU talaga. Contender yun. Matagal na sila magkakasama eh,” he said.

(NU is strong. It’s a contender. They’ve been together for quite some time now.)

“Kung titingnan mo, buong-buo yung team na yun, and they have a good coaching staff, they have the materials, and I’m familiar with their system, kasi ako, galing din ako kay Coach E. Galing ako doon sa program niya.”

(Because if you look at it, the team is loaded, and they have a good coaching staff, they have the materials, and I’m familiar with their system, because I also came from Coach E. I came from his program.)

Led by third-year foreign student-athlete and former UAAP Finals MVP Alfred Aroga, NU remains one of the best defensive teams in the UAAP. And thanks to the improvement of veterans Rev Diputado and J-Jay Alejandro, plus the arrival of floor-spreader Matt Salem, the Bulldogs have also added more firepower to their offense.

“It’s because of their teamwork. Basketball naman, the longer magkakasama kayo (you’re together), the more na magkakaroon ng (there will be) team chemistry. The more they become a team,” said Ayo, who admitted as well that he was surprised NU wasn’t talked about much as a championship contender entering the season.

“They’re still there and maganda yung program ni Coach E. They have the personnel. Na-surprise ako bakit hindi pinapag-usapan yung NU.”

(They’re still there and the program of Coach E is good. They have the personnel. I was surprised why they weren’t talked about that much.) – Rappler.com

Ochea’s game-winner lifts Adamson past Ateneo in comeback win

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 6:40 PM, September 17, 2016

Updated 7:10 PM, September 17, 2016

SLINGER. Jerrick Ahanmisi (R) has another stellar game, this time vs Ateneo. Josh Albelda/RAPPLER

‪MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Dawn Ochea hit a baseline jumper with 1.9 seconds remaining to give the Adamson Soaring Falcons a come-from-behind victory over the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 62-61, on Saturday, September 17, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.‬

‪Ochea was inserted into the game during the deadball right before he hit the jumper to give Adamson a 2-1 record to open UAAP Season 79. It was also Ochea’s first basket of the contest.‬

‪Ateneo, which was up 56-46 entering the quarter, missed the chance to steal the game when Thirdy Ravena’s potential buzzer-beater missed.‬

‪Rob Manalang, who hit two big 3s in the final period, led Adamson with 15 points. Rookie Jerrick Ahanmisi had another good outing with 13 points, while Pape Sarr put up 13 points and 16 rebounds.‬

‪Anton Asistio led the Blue Eagles with 12 points, as his team fell to 2-2 in the standings. ‬– Rappler.com

UP fights, but UST holds on for the win

Naveen Ganglani

@naveenganglani

Published 4:28 PM, September 17, 2016

Updated 4:28 PM, September 17, 2016

TOP SCORER. Louie Vigil (L) goes for a lay-up against the Maroons in their game Saturday. Photo by Josh Albelda/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – The UP Fighting Maroons rallied from an 11-point deficit in the 4th quarter to tie the contest, but the UST Growling Tigers managed to hit the big shots late to hold on to their lead and come away with the win, 83-77.

On Saturday, September 17, veteran Louie Vigil led the Growling Tigers with 18 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds as the team improved to 2-2 in UAAP Season 79.

Reggie Basibas and Oliver De Guzman also played well with 11 points each, while Renzo Subido and Kent Lao scored 10 points apiece during the game held at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

UP was led by the 19 points of Jett Manuel, while Diego Dario had 14 points. Rookie Javi Gomez De Liano finished with 12 points off the bench.

After a 3-ball by Gomez De Liano tied the game at 71-all, Basibas answered with a triple of his own to put UST back ahead with 2:41 to go. Not long after, De Guzman scored on a mid-range J to give UST a 5-point edge.

UP went cold on offense, and a layup on the break for Vigil with 1:20 remaining put the Tigers ahead 79-71 to seal the win.

It was the 19th straight time UST beat UP – a streak dating back to 2006. – Rappler.com

Test submit content from hatforrent

Test submit content from hatforrent