Limang Puntos, Taguig (2026)

22/09/2025

UAAP: UST Upsets Defending Champion UP in Season 88 Opener

The UST Growling Tigers, led by a historic debut from foreign student-athlete Collins Akowe, stunned the defending champion UP Fighting Maroons with a dominant 87-67 victory to start their UAAP Season 88 campaign. The win marked UST's first against UP since 2019, snapping a nine-game losing streak.

Akowe's Monster Debut
Collins Akowe, the reigning UAAP Best Foreign Student-Athlete from the NU Bullpups, wasted no time making his presence felt. In one of the most dominant debuts in UAAP history, the 6-foot-10 Nigerian center put up a monster double-double with 29 points and 17 rebounds. Akowe was a force in the paint, shooting an efficient 9-of-15 from the field and demonstrating his determination to represent UST.

Strong Support and Defensive Prowess
While Akowe was a dominant force, he had plenty of help. Sharpshooting guard Kyle Paranada stepped up in the absence of star Forthsky Padrigao, scoring 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Paranada set the tone early, pouring in 14 of his points in the first half to give the Growling Tigers a comfortable 57-43 lead at the break.

UST's defense was also a major factor, holding former UE star and Mythical Five member Rey Remogat to just 5 points in his much-anticipated debut for UP.

The Fighting Maroons tried to mount a comeback, cutting the lead to seven points in the third quarter, but that was the closest they would get. Mark Belmonte led UP with 12 points, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Growling Tigers' inspired performance.

22/09/2025

UAAP: NU Dominates UE in Season 88 Opener

The NU Bulldogs started their UAAP Season 88 campaign on a high note, delivering a dominant 72-57 victory over the UE Red Warriors at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion. After a disappointing finish last year, the Bulldogs came out with a statement win to open the new season.

NU led by a slim five points at halftime, but they exploded in the third quarter. The Bulldogs went on a massive 14-1 run in the first five minutes of the second half, creating a comfortable 53-35 lead that the Red Warriors could never recover from. NU kept its foot on the gas, extending its lead to as many as 23 points in the final period to cruise to victory.

Graduating senior Jake Figueroa had a standout all-around performance, leading the Bulldogs with 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 steals, 3 assists, and 2 blocks. He was well-supported by his teammates, with Paul Francisco adding 12 points, and Kenshin Padrones putting up 10 points and 9 rebounds. Returning foreign student-athlete Omar John also contributed 8 points on an efficient 4-of-6 shooting.

For the Red Warriors, Precious Momowei finished with a double-double of 12 points and 16 rebounds, and John Abate added 10 points. Unfortunately, their efforts weren't enough to get a win for new head coach Chris Gavina in his UAAP debut.

22/09/2025

UAAP: Ateneo Outlasts FEU in Overtime Thriller

The Ateneo Blue Eagles kicked off their Season 88 campaign with a thrilling 86-83 overtime escape against the FEU Tamaraws. In a game that was too close for comfort, Ateneo’s new recruits stepped up in a big way, hitting crucial shots and making key defensive plays in the extra period to secure the hard-fought victory.

With Ateneo trailing by six points with under two minutes left in overtime, Jared Bahay took over. He sank back-to-back three-pointers to tie the game at 80-all, then forced a turnover that led to the go-ahead basket by Kymani Ladi. Ladi followed up with a clutch triple, putting Ateneo up by two possessions and effectively sealing the victory.

FEU's Janrey Pasaol put up a monster effort with a near triple-double of 24 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds. His teammate Jorick Bautista also had a strong performance with 24 points, while foreign student-athlete Mo Konateh dominated the boards with 23 rebounds.

Ultimately, the heroics of Ateneo's new players were too much for FEU to overcome. Ladi led the Blue Eagles with a game-high 26 points, while Bahay added 13 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals. The win not only started Ateneo's season on a high note but also snapped a four-game losing streak to the Tamaraws.

22/09/2025

UAAP: La Salle Escapes Adamson in UAAP Season 88 Opener

La Salle’s redemption tour started with a heart-pounding 60-58 escape against a tough Adamson squad. The highly anticipated game was a defensive slugfest, with both teams trading blows until the final seconds of the game.

In the end, it was La Salle's talented new players who hit the clutch shots to seal the win.

La Salle Escapes Adamson in UAAP Season 88 Opener
The De La Salle Green Archers started their UAAP Season 88 campaign with a nail-biting 60-58 victory over the Adamson Soaring Falcons at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion. The game was a defensive struggle, with both teams fighting for every possession, as La Salle's highly-touted transferees came up big in the clutch to secure the win.

Game Highlights
La Salle's victory was a hard-fought affair. Adamson, known for their low-scoring, gritty games, held a 56-53 lead late in the fourth quarter after a corner three-pointer by rookie Earl Medina. However, the Green Archers' new acquisitions, Jacob Cortez and Mason Amos, took over in the final minutes.

Cortez, a former NCAA champion from San Beda, showcased his clutch gene by hitting two consecutive baskets to give La Salle a 57-56 lead. He also made a crucial defensive play, drawing a charge on Adamson's Manu Anabo to stop a potential go-ahead score.

With the game on the line, it was Amos, the former Ateneo big man, who sealed the deal. Despite a rough shooting night, he drained a dagger three-pointer with just 7.9 seconds remaining, extending La Salle's lead and ultimately fending off the Soaring Falcons' upset bid.

Top Performers
Mike Phillips (La Salle): The graduating star put up a monster performance, leading the Green Archers with 17 points, 16 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 3 steals.

Jacob Cortez (La Salle): In his UAAP debut, Cortez was a key contributor with 16 points on an efficient 6-of-8 shooting, along with 4 rebounds and 4 assists.

Mason Amos (La Salle): While struggling for most of the game, Amos finished strong with the game-sealing three and led the team with a +13 plus-minus rating.

Cedrick Manzano (Adamson): Led the way for Adamson with a near double-double of 19 points and 9 rebounds.

The Scores:
La Salle 60 – Phillips 17, Cortez 16, Daep 8, Amos 6, Marasigan 3, Gollena 3, Abadam 2, Dungo 2, Nwankwo 2, Baclaan 1, Macalalag 0, Pablo 0, Gomez 0.

Adamson 58 – Manzano 19, Erolon 10, Torres 8, Fransman 5, Medina 5, Ojarikre 4, Perez 4, Tumaneng 2, Anabo 1, Montebon 0, Demisana 0, Barcelona 0, C. Ronzone 0, A. Ronzone 0.

Quarters: 15-18, 33-25, 49-46, 60-58.

18/09/2025

UAAP Season 88 Basketball Kicks Off with High Stakes
The new UAAP season is underway, with the UP Fighting Maroons men's team and NU Lady Bulldogs women's team both looking to defend their titles. The UE Junior Warriors are also back to protect their under-16 high school crown.

Season 88: A Packed Schedule for All Divisions
The UAAP Season 88 basketball tournament features three divisions: Men's, Women's, and Junior High School.

Each division includes teams from Adamson, Ateneo, FEU, La Salle, NU, UE, UP, and UST.

The first round of action runs from September 20 to October 22 across various venues, including the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion, Araneta Coliseum, and Mall of Asia Arena.

Key matchups to watch for include:
The men's basketball season opener on September 20, with Ateneo facing FEU and Adamson taking on La Salle.

The first round concludes on October 19 for the men's and junior high school divisions, while the women's division has an additional game day on October 22.

Fans can follow the full schedule and results to see how their favorite teams are performing in this highly anticipated season