Games on Wednesday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
8 a.m. – DLSU vs UE (Women)
10 a.m. – UST vs UP (Women)
Noon – NU vs Ateneo (Women)
2:30 p.m. – NU vs Ateneo (Men)
5 p.m. – AdU vs FEU (Men)
7:30 p.m. – AdU vs FEU (Women)
RED-HOT University of the Philippines (UP) trounced winless University of the East (UE), 101-70, to notch its fifth straight triumph and claim a solo lead anew in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym.
The UP Fighting Maroons jumped to a 12-point advantage in the opening frame and never stepped on the breaks on their way to a 31-point victory to climb to 7-2 and deal the UE Red Warriors their 29th straight loss.
UP, which scored a closer 91-81 win in the first round, had no mercy this time in breaking a tie with idle National University (6-2) to stay on course of a twice-to-beat bid in the Final Four.
Fresh from a 30-point career-best outing in a double overtime win over University of Santo Tomas, Veejay Pre had an efficient 14 points in only 21 minutes of play laced by six rebounds and five assists to lead the way for Diliman hoopers.
Gani Stevens and Choi Palanca produced 13 and 12 points, respectively, with Elliot Dimaculangan (9), Dikachi Ududo (9), Kio Franco (8), Sean Alter (8) and Miguel Yniguez (7) throwing in help in a scattered attack.
“We played so hard and sustained our energy from our last games. It’s our fifth game in the last two weeks and what we liked about it was everybody came to play,” said deputy coach Christian Luanzon.
“The excitement of the players off the bench was there and I think it’s the first game where all 16 players played. Coach Goldwin (Monteverde) is proud of that as we sustained our intensity.”
UP never trailed in the match and led by as many as 34 points.
Tope Lagat and Mo Tañedo were the lone bright spots with 23 and 11 points, respectively, for the Red Warriors, whose search for a first win in almost three seasons and counting remain elusive at 0-9 this year.
Already the second-longest skid in UAAP history since a tough overtime loss to De La Salle University last game, UE, that has been winless since the second round of Season 87 (2024), could be in danger of matching Adamson’s infamous record of 35 consecutive losses from 1999 to 2002.
In women’s basketball, titlist Santo Tomas (7-0) beat UP (4-3) for its closest win this season, 75-66, to sweep the first round as Ateneo de Manila University (3-4) clipped UE (0-7), 73-56, to hand the latter its 31st loss in a row since 2024 like it’s men’s team counterpart. — John Bryan Ulanday
The scores:
UP 101 – Pre 14, Stevens 13, Palanca 12, Dimaculangan 9, Ududo 9, Franco 8, Alter 8, Yniguez 7, Andres 6, Bayla 5, Payosing 4, Maga 4, Briones 2, Remogat 0.
UE 70 – Lagat 23, Tañedo 11, Jimenez 9, Dungca 9, Edoukou 4, Cruz-Dumont 4, Sabroso 3, Vasquez 3, Mascariñas 2, Robles 2, Santos 0, Javier 0, Perez 0, Apostol 0.
Quarterscores: 29-17, 51-40, 75-59, 101-70.