HIGHLIGHTS: UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball games – October 1

UP shows championship heart, completes comeback over La Salle

The UP Fighting Maroons showed championship composure in the clutch as they started their UAAP Season 85 basketball campaign with a 72-69 comeback win over the La Salle Green Archers.

Carl Tamayo lived up to his lofty preseason billing with a massive 18-point, 19-rebound double-double for UP, causing Schonny Winston’s 27-point eruption for La Salle to go to waste.

Read the full story here.

UAAP85 – October 1, 2022 – Curated tweets by RapplerSports

Cabañero explodes for 33 as UST stuns Adamson

Sophomore forward Nic Cabañero carried the UST Growling Tigers to a stunning 69-60 win over the Adamson Soaring Falcons to start the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament.

The 18-year-old sensation erupted for a career-high 33 points on 13-of-18 shooting, the highest for a UST player since Marvin Lee’s 30 back in October 2018.

Read the full story here.

Preview

In yet another unique twist brought to sports by the ongoing pandemic, two UAAP men’s basketball tournaments are slated for 2022 as Season 85 tips off on Saturday, October 1, just four months after the previous season wrapped up.

Despite the historically short turnaround, all eight universities enjoyed proper off-season preparations for the first time in three years as the government further loosened up restrictions for collegiate athletes and allowed preseason tournaments to push through.

As expected from the league’s opening day, there will be no shortage of action right out of the gate with an exciting double-header at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Adamson vs UST

One of the league’s fringe Final Four contenders, the Adamson Soaring Falcons are looking to start strong with a win against the rebuilding UST Growling Tigers at the 2 pm season curtain-raiser.

Still led by Mythical Five-caliber star Jerom Lastimosa, the Nash Racela-coached squad is also bannered by returning high-flyer AP Manlapaz, all-around guard Joem Sabandal, and veteran reinforcement Lenda Douanga.

On the other end, the young Tigers squad mentored by rookie coach Bal David will be forced to move forward after the shock losses of NU-bound prospect Kean Baclaan, UE-bound bruiser Gani Stevens, and overage veterans Bryan Santos and Sherwin Concepcion.

UP vs La Salle

At the 4 pm main event, the La Salle Green Archers will immediately run it back with Season 84 Final Four tormentor and eventual champion UP Fighting Maroons.

Despite losing star guard Ricci Rivero to graduation, Goldwin Monteverde still boasts a star-studded roster led by Mythical Five members Carl Tamayo and Zavier Lucero, Finals MVP Malick Diouf, clutch hero JD Cagulangan, and intriguing prospect Henry Galinato.

La Salle, however, is not far behind in terms of star power as veteran coach Derick Pumaren is set to deploy a loaded back court of Schonny Winston, Evan Nelle, and Mark Nonoy alongside top interior threats Michael Phillips and star rookie Kevin Quiambao.

Which teams will get the first leg up over the rest of the field? Tune in to this page for key updates.

– Rappler.com