Noah Banal and Jay-m Leal combined for 36 points as Ateneo de Manila University rolled past rival De La Salle Zobel, 80-65, to remain the lone unbeaten team in the UAAP Season 88 boys’ basketball tournament on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym.
Leal poured in 19 points to go with three rebounds, two assists, and one steal, while Banal added 17 points, five rebounds, three steals, and two assists as the Blue Eagles seized sole possession of first place in the eight-team field.
Ateneo moved ahead of the pack following its third straight win and National University Nazareth School’s loss to Far Eastern University–Diliman earlier in the day.
The victory also marked Ateneo’s first 3-0 start in UAAP boys’ basketball in seven years, dating back to Season 80 (2018), when the SJ Belangel-led Blue Eagles swept the 14-game elimination round before outlasting the Bullpups in a three-game championship series.
In the day’s other matchup, Ethan Aguas and the University of the East overcame a 32-point explosion from Jhustin Hallare, carving out a 92-72 victory to improve to 2-1 and grab a share of second place alongside NUNS and FEU-D.
Ateneo remained perfect under new head coach Bacon Austria, with the son of San Miguel Beermen coach Leo Austria choosing to keep his focus squarely on the present.
“To be honest, I just focused on the first game against UE then I always tell them na we need a good start and we need to take everything one game at a time. Remember that we came from a seventh-place finish last year,” Austria said.
“We’re just taking it one game at a time. We reset every game. It’s early, but it’s hard to be on top and it’s harder to stay on top. I think the mindset every game is 0-0,” he added.
In the final game of the day, two three-pointers by Hallare, coupled with back-to-back inside baskets by Matt Rosete and Raiven Pascual, kept the Fighting Maroons within striking distance of the Junior Warriors, trailing by just 10, 61-51, with 3:22 remaining in the third quarter.
UE responded with a decisive surge, closing the period with 13 unanswered points—capped by a Jamal Diaz layup, two free throws from Mhico Abellar, and an inside hit by Gab Delos Reyes—to build a commanding 74-51 lead heading into the fourth.
“Sinabi ko from the get-go na this is a good test for us, yung magiging test namin dito is our discipline and our consistency. We are not underestimating UPIS. Ang ginawa kong challenge ay dito kasi makikita kung gaano tayo kadisiplinado at consistent,” UE head coach Karl Santos said.
“Yung pinakita namin kanina, gigil ‘eh. I think we showed a lot of bad habits because of eagerness to steal the ball, mas malaki kami -- ‘yon yung mga nakita namin as coaches na talagang kulang pa kami. For us, I think if we really want to make it to the Final or even win it all, I think ang formula namin is discipline and consistency,” he added.
The Scores:
Third Game
Ateneo (80) - Leal 19, Banal 17, Kallos 11, Espinas 11, Eriobu 9, Lacsamana 7, Aquino 6, Gatmaitan 0, Molina 0, Kaw 0, Reyes 0, Magpoc 0, Madrangca 0.
DLSZ (65) - Dabao 24, Favis 14, Luna 7, Alpapara 6, Borrero 6, Arejola 5, Mikailu 2, Tan 1, Atienza 0, Llamas 0, Ferrer 0, Dimayuga 0.
Quarterscores: 28-16, 46-29, 63-43, 80-65.
Fourth Game
UE (92) - Aguas 19, Roquid 14, Diaz 10, Abellar 8, Braga 8, Timbol 7, Bual 6, Panganiban 4, Edoukou 4, Orca 3, Oraa 3, Delos Reyes 2, Copada 2, Pascual 2, Lorenzo 0.
UPIS (72) - Hallare 32, Tubongbanua 13, Poquiz 12, Pascual 7, M. Rosete 5, Lugatiman 3, Addatu 0, Hernandez 0, Labao 0, Cobico 0, Maguerra 0, J. Rosete 0.
Quarterscores: 23-15, 45-34, 74-51, 92-72.