NU, Adamson stay on top as UAAP boys’ basketball 2nd round starts

MANILA, Philippines – The Nazareth-NU Bullpups moved on to a new chapter after seeing their 33-game winning streak end in the UAAP boys’ basketball with a 71-64 squeaker over the UST Tiger Cubs at the FilOil EcoOil Centre on Wednesday, February 8.

All-around threat Reinhard Jumamoy made his mark across the stat sheet once again with game-highs of 16 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals to go with 6 rebounds as NU rose to 7-1 for Season 85.

Aga Clarito scored 15 on an efficient 6-of-8 clip with 6 boards, while Klein Tagotongan sparked the bench mob with 14 points in just 13 minutes.

Mark Llemit once again carried the Tiger Cubs with game-highs across the board: 23 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists. UST dropped to a 3-5 slate for fifth place.

Meanwhile, the Adamson Baby Falcons stayed right on the Bullpups’ tails at first place with a thrilling 82-80 conquest of fellow contender FEU-Diliman Baby Tamaraws.

Mat Edding had the best game of his young life so far with a 30-point eruption on 11-of-17 shooting to go with 9 rebounds and 5 assists as Adamson also rose to a 7-1 record alongside NU.

Usual top guns Peter Rosillo and Vince Reyes backstopped with 19 and 11 points, respectively, with the latter draining the game-winning shot.

VJ Pre paced the heartbreaking loss with a big 20-point, 11-board double-double as Janrey Pasaol got checked to 10 points on a 3-of-14 clip, albeit with 8 rebounds and 8 assists to salvage his line.

Ateneo bounces back, La Salle gains solo fourth

In the other games of the day, the Ateneo Blue Eagles bounced back from a 50-77 walloping against Adamson by outgunning the UE Junior Warriors, 88-77.

League-leading scorer Kristian Porter returned from a one-game absence in a big way, tallying an 18-point, 17-rebound double-double as his team improved to a 3-5 record in joint fifth with UST.

Lebron Nieto scattered 17 points, 7 boards, 6 assists, and 4 steals, while TJ delos Santos scored 12 with 6 rebounds and 3 dimes in just 15 minutes off the bench.

Andrei de Leon led all scorers in the loss with 23 points, 7 assists, and 3 steals, while Vhon Roldan added 20 points and 9 rebounds as UE fell to a 1-7 slate in seventh place.

In the day’s quadruple-header kickoff, the La Salle-Zobel Junior Archers made light work of the free-falling UPIS Junior Maroons with an 81-67 blowout.

Ryhle Melencio continued to live up to his billing as the league’s leading rebounder with a massive 18-point, 20-board double-double on 8-of-11 shooting to go with 4 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 steals.

Justin San Agustin and Kieffer Alas scored 15 apiece, while Junjun Melecio added 13 points as La Salle rose to solo fourth place with an even 4-4 record.

Four of UP’s starters played more than 36 minutes in the loss that kept them at the cellar with UE at 1-7. Jonas Napalang tallied 22 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists in 39 minutes, while Kobe Demisana churned out 17 points, 11 boards, 5 blocks, and 4 dimes in nearly 37 minutes.

Karl Villaverde and Daryl Valdeavilla both played the full 40 minutes, scoring 12 and 6, respectively.

The Scores

First Game

DLSZ 81 – Melencio 18, San Agustin 15, Alas 15, Melecio 13, Dimaano 11, Espina 5, John 2, Pabellano 2, Arejola 0, Chang 0, Cruz 0, Dimalanta 0, Legaspi 0, Sta. Maria 0.

UPIS 67 – Napalang 22, Demisana 17, Villaverde 12, Valdeavilla 6, Melicor 6, Raymundo 4, Mendoza 0.

Quarters: 19-14, 35-28, 57-46, 81-67.

Second Game

Ateneo 88 – Porter 18, Nieto 17, Delos Santos 12, Ebdane 10, De Guzman 10, Santiago 6, Adevoso 4, Prado 3, Salandanan 2, Urbina 2, Tupas 2, Domangcas 2.

UE 77 – De Leon 23, Roldan 20, Morales 9, Duque 6, Gragasin 5, Arcega 4, Gatchalian 4, Bagro 3, Flores 2, Pangilinan 1, F. Reyes 0, V. Reyes 0, Isip 0, Malonzo 0.

Quarters: 19-22, 40-43, 65-63, 88-77.

Third Game

NU 71 – Jumamoy 16, Clarito 15, Tagotongan 14, Colonia 13, Perciano 8, Yusi 5, Alfanta 0, Demetria 0, Herrera 0, Solomon 0, Timbang 0.

UST 64 – Llemit 23, Pangilinan 11, Bugsit 9, Ayon 6, Zanoria 6, Esteban 5, Manding 4, Buenaflor 0, Pantaleon 0, Tesocan 0.

Quarters: 27-11, 42-26, 58-42, 71-64.

Fourth Game

Adamson 82 – Edding 30, Rosillo 19, Reyes 11, Bonzalida 5, Garcia 4, Carillo 4, Sajili 3, Medina 3, Abayon 3, Manlapaz 0.

FEU 80 – Pre 20, Daa 13, Mongcopa 13, Cabonilas 11, Pasaol 10, Miranda 7, Herbito 5, Pascual 1, Maierhofer 0, Salangsang 0, Cabigting 0.

Quarters: 19-27, 42-55, 59-68, 82-80.

– Rappler.com