UAAP standings: Blue Eagles continue blistering start; UP makes ground in men’s basketball

The UAAP men’s basketball tournament in Season 88 continues to bring surprises as Ateneo kept its pace in the standings of the tournament. After the games over the weekend, the Blue Eagles stay perfect at 4-0 midway through the first round.

Highlighted by a resounding victory over long-time rivals DLSU Green Archers (2-2) on Sunday, 81-74, the Blue Eagles are looking like their former selves after missing out on the Final Four last year.

One-and-done talents Kymani Ladi, Dominic Escobar, and Jaden Lazo continue to perform for head coach Tab Baldwin, while Shawn Tuano had a breakout game against La Salle, helping fend off a furious comeback attempt by the Green Archers in the fourth quarter.

Breakthroughs reached

Meanwhile, the UP Fighting Maroons have restored order and are now on a win streak with an even 2-2 slate.

The defending champions were sent reeling after the first few game days of the year with a surprise 0-2 start, absorbing losses to hosts UST and the Adamson Soaring Falcons to begin their title defense.

Since then, UP has come out swinging.

After a convincing win over the UE Red Warriors, 92-75, the Fighting Maroons followed it up with a big win over erstwhile undefeated NU (3-1) during the weekend.

Prior to the Bulldogs’ loss, they were the ones to derail the UST Growling Tigers after clamping down on rookie foreign student-athlete Collins Akowe earlier this week, 76-69.

UST was able to bounce back in their most recent outing, routing the winless UE Red Warriors (0-4), 111-99, and stay at pace with NU at 3-1.

After losing their first three matches — including close calls against the Blue Eagles and the Green Archers, the FEU Tamaraws were finally able to barge into the win column, beating the Adamson Soaring Falcons on Sunday, 64-58.

FEU and Adamson are both sporting 1-3 slates.

With still four games of the first round and the whole second round looming for all teams, surprises are surely still in store for all eight competitive teams.

[ALSO READ: UAAP standings: Blue Eagles continue blistering start; UP makes ground in men’s basketball]

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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.

Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.