League-leading Maroons collide with Blue Eagles, eye to stretch semis streak

Games Saturday

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

8 a.m. – UPIS vs AdU (16U)

10 a.m. – AdU vs UE (Women)

12 noon – UP vs Ateneo (Women)

2:30 p.m. – AdU vs UE (Men)

6 p.m. – UP vs Ateneo (Men)

MANILA, Philippines — Rampaging leader University of the Philippines shoots for its eighth straight Final Four appearance against Katipunan rival Ateneo in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

Riding on six straight wins to run away from the pack, the Fighting Maroons want no further complications by securing a seat in the semifinals at 6 p.m. to also stay on course to clinching a twice-to-beat edge. 

Adamson (4-6), at sixth place with Univerisity of Santo Tomas (4-6), tries to keep its hopes alive against also-ran UE (0-10) with 30 straight losses since 2024 at 2:30 p.m.

UP, holder of the longest active Final Four streak (seven seasons), is sitting comfortably at the summit with an 8-2 slate, enjoying a full-game lead over National University (7-3) and two games ahead of reigning champion La Salle (6-4) and host Far Eastern University (6-4).

Ateneo is just outside the Final Four picture at 5-5, making the boys from Diliman extra wary of a larger target on its back given a “deceptive” standings in an expected wild finish to the Top 4. 

“The placing is really deceptive. Anything can change in a heartbeat,” said assistant coach Christian Luanzon after an 82-70 win over Adamson, noting La Salle and Ateneo at the bottom of team standings with Adamson, FEU and UST on top after the first round before a new order with four games to spare.

“One game can change ‘yung complexion right away. As Coach Goldwin (Monteverde) and I always say, ‘You cannot take any team for granted.’ Kailangan ‘yung preparation and how we prepare; i-surpass pa namin ‘yun every practice.”

Aside from a hot tear with spotless slate in the second round though, UP can bank on a dominant 94-75 win against Ateneo in the first round to dodge any upset or roadblock on its way to at least a Top-2 finish for a win-once bonus in its redemption tour. 

"There’s still a lot of things that we can improve as a team. Hopefully, ‘yung sinasabi niyong peak, dumating sa tamang panahon in terms of getting to the Final Four and hopefully, ‘yung twice-to-beat advantage kasi lagi ni-re-remind ni Coach Gold sa kanila na ‘yung situation ng team namin ngayon, kami ang may hawak at kami ang nagko-control," added Luanzon as UP looks good to march to its sixth straight finals appearance as well with two titles, all under Monteverde.

For Ateneo, the blowout loss in the first round is an added fuel to get back on its Katipunan neighbor, especially after a tough 76-73 overtime loss to archnemesis La Salle last weekend.