Ateneo, La Salle cop UAAP judo crowns

MANILA, Philippines - Ateneo de Manla University regained the men’s crown while De La Salle University captured its first women’s title in UAAP Season 76 judo tournament Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym.

Season Most Valuable Player Matt Jao clinched the +100 kgs gold medal and Anjo Gumila wrested the -90 kgs mint to power the Blue Eagles to 47 points to clinch the championship.

The Katipunan-based judokas, who were champions in Season 73, also scooped three silver and six bronze medals.

Ateneo, which hacked out a “three-peat” from 2008 to 2010, defeated University of the Philippines, which bagged the runner-up honors with 35 points. De La Salle was third with 32 points.

The Lady Archers, on the other hand, amassed 42 points on a 3-2-1 gold-silver-bronze medal haul to end a long 21-year title drought in UAAP judo.

Nikki More, who clinched the gold medal in the -57 kg category, was named MVP. Also winning golds for De La Salle gold medalists were Justine Pongase (+78 kgs) and Marjorie Santiago (-63 kgs).      

The Lady Eagles were a far second to the Lady Archers with 29 points. University of the East also had 29 points but settled for the third place trophy because of an inferior quotient.

A rebuilding University of Santo Tomas (UST), which swept the men's and women's divisions in the last two seasons, finished fourth in both categories. Led by last year's MVP Al Rolan Llamas, the Growling Tigers tallied only 19 points, while the Tigresses wound up with 25 points.

Ateneo's Ralph Sapi took the Rookie of the Year honors in the men's division, while Loreli Tolentino of UST was the top rookie in the distaff side.

In the juniors division, the Blue Eaglets reclaimed the championship after winning all seven gold medals at stake. Ateneo finished with 91 points, trouncing La Salle-Zobel (19) and last season's titlist UST (15).

Rean Gonzales of the Blue Eaglets was named the Rookie-MVP.