Eaglets open defense, edge Baby Falcons

Jayvee Dumrique scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds on Sunday to lead defending champion Ateneo to a 74-68 nipping of upset-conscious Adamson at the start of the UAAP juniors basketball tournament at the Blue Eagle gym.

Dumrique also had five assists and three steals in a brilliant display of all-around skills and rookie Al Bugarin backed him up with 13 points and six boards as the Eaglets got their title-retention bid going on a bright note.

Far Eastern, the runner-up last year, ripped UP Integrated School, 78-51, after getting a combined 30 points and 22 rebounds from stalwarts Jolas Guerrero and Anthony Paulino.

Women’s action, meanwhile, gets off the ground tomorrow with defending champion Santo Tomas colliding with Ateneo in the last of four games scheduled at the Far Eastern gym.

Ateneo, the 2005 champion, and the Tigresses slug it out in the 2 p.m. contest.

Other games will pit the Lady Warriors of UE against the La Salle Lady Archers at 8 in the morning, followed by the Adamson versus National tiff at 10 and the game pitting the Lady Tamaraws against UP at 12 noon.

La Salle-Zobel also returned to the league with aplomb, tearing the University of the East Pages to shreds, 78-44, even as the National Bullpups also joined the early lead with an upset 74-64 conquest of Santo Tomas in the other junior game.