After a shaky start, Rey Remogat and the UP Fighting Maroons now look like the defending champs following a commanding beatdown of the Ateneo in UAAP Season 88.
After a shaky start to the season, UP finally looked like the powerhouse everyone expected them to be.
With renewed focus and fiery energy, the Fighting Maroons stormed back into championship form — and rival Ateneo was the latest to bear the brunt of their resurgence.
Francis Nnoruka, Noy Remogat and Harold Alarcon led a three-headed attack that powered UP to an 83-69 win over the Blue Eagles in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament, handing the Katipunan-based squad its first loss of the tournament.
[ALSO READ: UAAP: UP ends Ateneo’s perfect start to claim Round 1 of ‘Battle of Katipunan’ in Season 88]
Nnoruka finished with a career-high 28 points along with nine rebounds and four steals, while Remogat scored 20 points and added eight assists and six rebounds.
“For me, siguro blessed lang din talaga ako kasi ayun nga, hindi naman biro 'yung mga pinagdaanan namin as a team noong first two games,” Remogat said in the post-game press conference.
Still, Remogat’s stellar outing ended on a bittersweet note after he was ejected late in the game for his second unsportsmanlike foul with 7.9 seconds remaining while trying to stop an Ian Espinosa fast break.
His first infraction came earlier in the second quarter against Josh Lazaro.
[UP's Rey Remogat drives past Ateneo's Kymani Ladi in the first "Battle of Katipunan" of UAAP Season 88 | Photo: The UAAP]
Veteran Harold Alarcon came off the bench to contribute 17 points to help UP secure its third straight win and improve to 3-2.
“So, siguro mas pinagigihan lang namin as a team and mas nag-focus kami sa growth namin, and mas tinama lang namin 'yung mga dapat naming itama sa team,” he added.
Everything went right for UP in the pivotal third quarter, when the Diliman-based squad outscored Ateneo 24-11.
Nnoruka alone outscored the Blue Eagles 15-11 in the period, giving the Fighting Maroons a commanding 64-49 lead heading into the final frame.
🆙 that solid execution
The win marked the defending champions’ fifth straight triumph over Ateneo — their longest active streak against their crosstown rivals.
“For me, 'yung preparation namin for this game and transferring it to play — the players executing our offense — 'yun ang malaking pagbabago namin,” UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde said.
[UP head coach Goldwin Monteverde on the sidelines drives against Ateneo. | Photo: The UAAP]
After averaging just 63 points in their first two losses, UP has now broken the 80-point mark in two of its last three games while tightening its defense, limiting opponents to only 68 points per contest.
Against Ateneo, the Fighting Maroons held their rivals to a measly 23 percent clip from long range and won the steals battle, 10-5.
Sitting in solo fourth, UP looks to keep its momentum when it faces FEU next before closing the first round with a Finals rematch against DLSU.
Ateneo, led by Shawn Tuano’s 17 points and Kymani Ladi’s 15, dropped into a tie for the top spot with NU, which pulled off a dramatic comeback win over Adamson earlier.
The Blue Eagles will take on UST and NU in their next two games.
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.