UAAP Finals 2018:

Ateneo overpowers UP Maroons, bags Season 81 plum

December 5, 2018 – Mall of Asia Arena
UAAP Finals 2018: Ateneo halts gritty UP Maroons, takes Game 1
The Ateneo Blue Eagles Logo

UAAP Finals 2018 News: Ateneo Blue Eagles overpowered the UP Maroons, 99-81 to bag the 2018 UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball championship title this Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum. Thirdy Ravena wowed the 23,741 Araneta crowd with an unbelievable 38 points output combined with 6 boards and 6 dimes total. Import Angelo Kouame also registered a double-double of 22 points and 22 caroms for the two-time champions Ateneo.

Ateneo is now a two-time UAAP titlist under the reins of Coach Tab Baldwin, the last time the Blue Eagles won a string of UAAP championships was in 2012 under Coach Norman Black.

➤ There was a brief halt to the game tip-off as the Blue Eagles protested the steel brace which Bright Akhuetie wore in his left knee. The brace was eventually removed and the game commenced with Akhuetie not wearing the knee protector.

Gomez De Liaño led the defeated Maroons with 24 points and 7 rebounds, while reinforcement Akhuetie chipped-in 19 points and 8 caroms. Clutch operator Paul Desiderio also made 15 buckets and 7 rebounds.

Game Scores:
Quarters: 25-13, 48-37, 70-56, 99-81.

ateneo: 99

Ravena 38, Kouame 22, Verano 11, Tio 7, Belangel 6, Nieto Ma. 6, Asistio 6, Go 3, Wong 0, Mendoza 0, Andrade 0, Black 0, Nieto Mi. 0, Daves 0, Mamuyac 0, Navarro 0.

up: 81

Gomez de Liaño Ju. 24, Akhuetie 19, Desiderio 15, Gomez de Liaño Ja. 11, Dario 8, Vito 2, Lim 2, Española 0, Prado 0, Jaboneta 0, Murrell 0, Manzo 0, Spencer 0, Longa 0.

Posted on December 5, 2018 - Mall of Asia Arena

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

UAAP Finals 2018:

Ateneo halts gritty UP Maroons, takes Game 1

December 1, 2018 – Mall of Asia Arena
UAAP Finals 2018: Ateneo halts gritty UP Maroons, takes Game 1
The Ateneo Blue Eagles Logo

UAAP Finals News 2018: Ateneo Blue Eagles halted the gritty UP Maroons, 88-79 to take Game 1 of their Finals showdown in the 2018 UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball this Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena. Matt Nieto paced the Blue Eagles with his 27 markers, while Thirdy Ravena had a triple-double of 21 buckets, 10 caroms and 9 dishes.

Notes:

➤ Tempers flared in the Arena after the collision of imports Angelo Kouame of Ateneo and UP’s Bright Akhuetie in the third quarter. Akhuetie was taken out of the court due to a possible leg injury but surprisingly returned with seven minutes left in the 4th quarter.

Akhuetie helped the University of the Philippines with two free-throws converted, to trail Ateneo with only three points, 68-71. However, the Blue Eagles stepped on the offensive to secure Game 1 in the battle of the Katipunan.

Jun Manzo powered the defeated Maroons with 19 points and 4 rebounds, while star Juan Gomez de Liaño finished with 17 buckets and 8 caroms. Meanwhile, clutch operator Paul Desiderio was limited to just 5 points all game.

UP and Ateneo will resume their Finals tiff on Wednesday, December 5 for Game 2.

Game Scores:
Quarters: 26-18, 39-38, 63-61, 88-79.

ateneo: 88

Nieto Ma. 27, Ravena 21, Kouame 7, Tio 6, Verano 6, Mamuyac 5, Nieto Mi. 4, Asistio 4, Mendoza 3, Wong 3, Go 2, Navarro 0.

up: 79

Manzo 19, Gomez de Liaño Ju. 17, Gomez de Liaño Ja. 11, Akhuetie 10, Dario 9, Desiderio 5, Vito 3, Tungcab 3, Prado 2, Gozum 0, Jaboneta 0, Murrell 0.

Posted on December 2, 2018 - Mall of Asia Arena

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

UAAP Final Four 2018:

UP pulls off Adamson shocker, enters Finals

November 28, 2018 – Araneta Coliseum

UAAP Finals 2017: Ateneo draws first blood, defeats DLSU 76-70
The UP Fighting Maroons

UAAP Final Four News 2018: UP Fighting Maroons upset the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 89-87 in overtime to enter the Finals of the 2018 UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball this Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum. Paul Desiderio once again pulled-off a superb clutch performance after hitting the game-winning jumper with 6.6 ticks remaining. He also finished the game with 16 buckets and 11 boards.

Notes:

➤ The University of the Philippines gatecrashed the UAAP Finals after missing the party for 32 long years. They also beat a shoo-in Adamson squad, expected to be the strongest challenge to Ateneo for the championship plum. The stunning victory proved the mettle of the Maroons, who were coming off the biggest of upsets by eliminating the DLSU Green Archers.

Juan Gomez de Llano led UP with his career-high 30 markers and 6 caroms, while import Bright Akhuetie made 13 points.

➤ The Maroons were trailing Adamson, 84-78 in overtime, but UP kept on knocking at the door as an Akhuetie conversion tied the game at 84. The rest is history as mythical Desiderio delivered in crunchtime five clutch points to seal the momentous win for UP.

Jerrick Ahanmisi backstopped the losing Falcons with 20 points and 3 rebounds, while Jerom Lastimosa chimed in 17 buckets and 7 boards. Meanwhile, Sean Manganti was a disappointment this time around as he only registered 6 points the whole game.

➤ The Fighting Maroons will next battle the Ateneo Blue Eagles for Game 1 of the UAAP best-of-three Finals at the Mall of Asia Arena this Saturday, December 1.

Game Scores:
Quarters: 26-16, 51-42, 64-67, 78-78, 89-87.

up: 89

Gomez de Liaño Ju. 30, Desiderio 16, Akhuetie 13, Gomez de Liaño Ja. 8, Prado 6, Tungcab 6, Dario 5, Manzo 4, Jaboneta 1, Vito 0, Lim 0.

adamson: 87

Ahanmisi 20, Lastimosa 17, Sarr 16, Camacho 10, Pingoy 7, Magbuhos V. 6, Manganti 6, Mojica 2, Espeleta 2, Bernardo 1.

Posted on November 29, 2018 - Araneta Coliseum

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

UAAP Final Four 2018:

UP Maroons stuns Adamson, 73-71

November 24, 2018 – Mall of Asia Arena

UAAP Final Four 2018 News: University of the Philippines stunned second-seeded Adamson University, 73-71 to take Game 1 of their Best-of-Three series in the 2018 UAAP Season 81 Final Four Semifinals this Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena. Import Bright Akhuetie converted the game-winner for the Fighting Maroons with 2.6 ticks remaining in the game. He finished with 6 buckets, while Paul Desiderio and Juan Gomez de Liaño led UP with 19 points apiece each.

Notes:

➤ UAAP MVP Akhuetie made the go-ahead shot after an inbound play by UP to break the deadlock at 71-all.

➤ The Maroons made a historic run by gaining entry to the Final Four after 21 years and may have the chance to reach the UAAP Season 81 Finals if they beat Adamson once more in Game 2.

➤ Meanwhile, reinforcement Papi Sarr backstopped the losing Falcons with 23 markers and 9 rebounds, as Sean Manganti made 15 buckets. Ace sniper Jerrick Ahanmisi was limited to only 9 points after a 1-of-8 three-point shooting total.

➤ UP and Adamson will duke it out again on at the Araneta Coliseum this Wednesday, November 28.

Game Scores:
Quarters: 17-16, 28-29, 54-43, 73-71.

up: 73

Desiderio 19, Gomez de Liaño Ju 19, Gomez de Liaño Ja 9, Manzo 9, Akhuetie 6, Prado 4, Dario 3, Vito 2, Jaboneta 2, Tungcab 0, Gozum 0, Murrell 0, Lim 0.

adamson: 71

Sarr 23, Manganti 15, Ahanmisi 9, Camacho 8, Lastimosa 7, Espeleta 5, Magbuhos V 4, Mojica 0, Bernardo 0, Pingoy 0, Catapusan 0.

Posted on November 25, 2018 - Mall of Asia Arena

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

UAAP 2018:

UP smashes NU, 82-71

November 3, 2018 – Ynares Center

UAAP News 2018: The University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons smashed the National University Bulldogs, 82-71 to stay in contention in the 2018 UAAP Season 81 Men’s basketball this Saturday at the Ynares Center. Import Bright Akhuetie led the Maroons with his 21 markers and 10 boards, while Paul Desiderio added 12 buckets.

Notes:

UP is raring to enter the UAAP Final Four as they are now in solo fourth place in the standings behind UST and FEU (both at identical 5-6).

➤ Super rookie Dave Ildefonso starred for the losing Bulldogs with 24 points total.

➤ UP is now sporting a 6-6 win-loss record, while NU is nearing elimination as they are now at 7th place with a 3-8 slate.

Game Scores:
Quarters: 17-15, 40-30, 60-49, 82-71.

UP: 82

Akhuetie 21, Desiderio 12, Vito 10, Ju. Gomez de Liaño 10, Murrell 8, Manzo 8, Prado 6, Gozum 4, Ja. Gomez de Liaño 2, Diego 1, Jaboneta 0, Lim 0, Tungcab 0, Spencer 0.

NU: 71

D. Ildefonso 24, Sinclair 13, Gallego 9, Rike 7, Salim 6, S. Ildefonso 6, Clemente 5, Gaye 1, Yu 0, Diputado 0, Galinato 0, Tibayan 0.

Posted on November 4, 2018 - Ynares Center - Antipolo

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

UAAP 2018:

UP Maroons outlasts La Salle, 67-61

September 30, 2018 – MOA Arena

UAAP News 2018: UP Fighting Maroons outlasted De La Salle Green Archers, 67-61, and registered their third win in the 2018 UAAP Season 81 this Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena. Reinforcement Bright Akhuetie powered the Fighting Maroons with his double-double of 19 points and 19 rebounds, while Juan Gomez de Liano added 17 markers and 6 assists.

Notes:

Paul Desiderio also contributed 12 buckets and 7 boards for University of the Philippines.

De La Salle University got a reprieve from Justine Baltazar, who scored 13 markers, while both Santi Santillan and Aljun Melecio added 12 points each respectively.

➤ La Salle did not have big man import Samuel Taane and star guard Kib Montalbo due to injuries. Both are out due to reported bone fracture.

UP is now at 2-3 and put a halt on their losing ways after three consecutive defeats, while DLSU is now 2-2 in the Season 81 standings.

Game Scores:
Quarters: 13-12, 29-33, 51-45, 67-61.

up: 67

Akhuetie 19, Gomez de Liano Ju. 17, Desiderio 12, Gomez de Liano Ja. 7, Manzo 6, Tungcab 2, Vito 2, Dario 2, Spencer 0, Gozum 0, Murrell 0, Jaboneta 0, Lim 0.

dlsu: 61

Baltazar 13, Santillan 12, Melecio 12, Caracut 9, Dyke 8, Go 5, Serrano 2, Bates 0, Capacio 0, Manuel 0, Corteza 0.

Posted on October 1, 2018 - Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

UAAP 2018:

UP Maroons masters UE Warriors, 87-58

September 8, 2018 – MOA Arena

UAAP News 2018: The UP Fighting Maroons mastered the UE Warriors, 87-58 to open their 2018 UAAP Season 81 basketball campaign with a win this Saturday at the MOA Arena in Pasay. Last year’s UAAP Rookie of the Year Juan Gomez de Liano paced the Maroons with his 16 markers, 7 boards and 6 assists, while Nigerian Bright Akhuetie added a double-double of 15 points and 18 rebounds.

Notes:

➤ The 6’7 Akhuetie was a former University of Perpetual Help Altas star in the NCAA but opted to suit-up for the Maroons this year after satisfying the residency restriction. He was released by UPHD prior, and was also reported to have had a heated argument with coach Nosa Omorogbe of the Altas during a practice.

➤ Other incoming ace players for the Maroons include former Creighton baller Kobe Paras, and former Green Archer Ricci Rivero. Both will sit out this UAAP season to satisfy the collegiate league’s residency requirements.

➤ University of the East burly bruiser Alvin Pasaol led the losing Warriors with 14 points. He was the lone Warrior who finished in double digits, but scored only 3 points in the second half.

Game Scores:
Quarters: 18-13, 33-33, 58-45, 87-58.

up: 87

Gomez de Liano Ju. 16, Akhuetie 15, Manzo 13, Desiderio 12, Gomez de Liano Ja. 10, Vito 7, Murrell 6, Prado 2, Gozum 2, Tungcab 2, Lim 2, Spencer 0, Dario 0, Jaboneta 0, Espanola 0, Longa 0.

ue: 58

Pasaol 14, Antiporda 9, Beltran 8, Varilla 6, Manalang 6, Maloles 4, Bartolome 4, Cullar 3, Acuno 2, Conner 2, Lacap 0, Gallardo 0.

Posted on September 8, 2018 - MOA Arena

Written by Rock Punzalan for Philippine Basketball News Team

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