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UAAP basketball weekend recap (Oct 25–26): UP climbs to No. 2, La Salle extends streak, and NU overcomes Ateneo
Last week marked the start of the second round of the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament, and fans were treated to a few surprises as the competition intensified.
This recap will focus only on the games held from October 25 to 26.
Before that, here is the current lay of the land after the weekend:
UAAP Season 88 Standings
| W-L Record | |
| National University | 7-2 |
| University of the Philippines | 6-3 |
| University of Santo Tomas | 5-3 |
| De La Salle University | 5-3 |
| Adamson University | 4-4 |
| Ateneo de Manila University | 4-5 |
| Far Eastern University | 3-6 |
| University of the East | 0-8 |
October 25
The University of the East almost secured its first win—almost.
UE led 50–49 with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter, but the Soaring Falcons had other plans. Austin Ronzone’s clutch triple sparked a 7–0 run, capped by Matt Erolon’s free throws with 15 seconds left to seal the victory. Dylan Despi’s missed attempt and John Abate’s late triple weren’t enough for the Red Warriors' attempt to steal the game.
The Recto-based squad also continues to play without Wello Lingolingo and head coach Chris Gavina, both serving suspensions.
Cedrick Manzano posted a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, as Adamson extended its winning streak to three. Watch out for the streaking Falcons.
After a rocky 2–3 start, the Green Archers are finally hitting their stride despite missing key players Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan due to injuries.
La Salle claimed its third straight win, defeating UST behind timely triples from EJ Gollena and a breakout performance from JC Macalalag, who recorded a career-high 18 points.
UST, meanwhile, dropped its second straight game following its loss to Adamson at the end of the first round.
October 26
National University solidified its hold on the top spot with a dominant win over Ateneo, handing the Blue Eagles their fifth consecutive loss.
NU bounced back from its earlier defeat to UP, turning a 40–32 Ateneo lead midway through the third quarter into a commanding advantage after a 25–4 run that stretched until the 3:42 mark of the fourth.
Jake Figueroa starred for NU with 17 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block, scoring 11 points during that decisive run.
For Ateneo, Kymani Ladi was the lone double-digit scorer with 12 points.
The UP Fighting Maroons continued their strong second-round start with back-to-back wins over NU and FEU to hold the No. 2 spot.
After conceding the first basket, UP took control and never looked back. Francis Nnoruka led the charge with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Gani Stevens chipped in 14 points.
Despite another impressive performance from Mo Konateh, who tallied 24 points, 10 rebounds, three steals, two blocks, and two assists, the Tamaraws fell, snapping their brief two-game winning streak.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
