UAAP women’s hoops stunner: Ateneo spoils UP’s first-round sweep bid

MANILA, Philippines – Ateneo spoiled University of the Philippines’ bid for a perfect first round.

Jhazmin Joson came out to play as Ateneo stopped UP’s unbeaten run with an 85-76 stunner in the UAAP Season 86 women’s basketball tournament on Saturday, October 21, at the packed Adamson University Gym.

The upset snapped the Maroons’ six-game winning streak and relegated them to a share of the top spot with defending champion NU at 6-1.

Joson fired 29 points, 12 coming in the third quarter, built on an 8-of-12 shooting from the three-point line, while also posting 4 assists and 2 steals to lead the Blue Eagles.

“It’s a breakthrough win for us,” said Ateneo head coach LA Mumar as the Blue Eagles climbed to a share of third with UST at 5-2.

“We know that UP was undefeated but we had the mentality that we really believed that we can beat any team. We’re starting to mature, so hopefully this is a sign of better things to come.”

Despite having rookie guard Louna Ozar foul out with 7:40 minutes left in the game, the Maroons gave themselves hope as Nigerian big Favour Onoh, Acrissa Maw, and Kaye Pesquera cut the deficit to just 77-71 with 4:48 left in the payoff period.

Graduating Ateneo guard Joson then scored two crucial threes while Junize Calago and Sarah Makanjuola linked up to put up a nine-point barrier with less than three minutes remaining, which UP failed to recover from.

Calago backstopped Joson with 24 points, while Kacey dela Rosa also delivered with 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks.

Back in Season 70, UP was also on a six-game winning start, only for Ateneo to snap it in the last game of the first round.

Maw led UP with 17 points while Onoh tallied a double-double of 16 points and 18 rebounds on top of 4 blocks.