UAAP Jrs: Damaging losses for UST & DLSZ, FEU bounces back

MANILA, Philippines – Let’s go over the results from the Wednesday, January 23 games in the UAAP high school division.

FEU defeated UE, 99-82. Adamson squeaked past UST, 69-67. Ateneo crushed UPIS, 115-68. And NU was steadier in the clutch against DLSZ, 82-67, in a game that was closer that the final score suggested.

With three games left in the elimination round for all teams, the losses of UST and DLSZ seem to have told on their Final Four aspirations. Technically, they can still catch up if they win their last three matches. But that also means having to rely on the fate of the squads that they can hopefully catch which is FEU, Ateneo, and Adamson (in that order).

Big rebound for FEU

After losing big to Ateneo, FEU bounced back with a resounding win over Recto neighbor, UE. The Baby Tamaraws took charge from the start and took their feet off the gas pedal. 

Xyrus Torres played his best game of the season for FEU and that might just be a good sign for head coach Allan Albano who needs others to support the amazing RJ Abarrientos and Royce Alforque (who had a subpar game against UE). 

A damaging loss for UST

Of all the upper tier teams that UST could probably steal a match from, it is perhaps from Adamson. And they had a chance as the Tiger Cubs held the Baby Falcons scoreless in the final 3:33. However, UST went 2-5 from the field yet 4-5 from the free throw line in that span.

The scintillating Mark Nonoy did what he could for his team by stealing the ball twice in succession late in the game, but he gobbled up 16 seconds of his team’s shot clock only to miss a shot. After Nonoy stole the ball for a second time with 18 seconds left, Gian Benzonan turned the ball over but not after eating up another 12 seconds.

Shot clock management, decision-making, and shot selection definitely need to be worked on. And how bad was this loss? They still have to face Ateneo.

Padrigao comes up big for Ateneo

Kai Sotto played the fewest minutes of this season with only under 20 minutes. And no he wasn’t in foul trouble. He did finish with 18 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block.

It was Padriago stepping up with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists. Daniel David and Geo Chiu each added 16 with the latter hauling down 11 boards and swatting two shots. 

The much-maligned bench came up big today scoring 42 points to their UPIS counterparts’ 10. But of course, it is at the hands of UP. Can they do it consistently?

And DLSZ misses a chance to give its semis aspirations a boost.

No team was hit harder with injuries (not to mention a defection in the off-season) than DLSZ. And they have only had Raven Cortez back for the third game (only for him to come out after a little over three minutes in the game after seeming to reinjure himself).

Rather than lose hope, the Junior Archers hung tough and only lost steam in the middle of the fourth period. At 4-7, it is going to be tough to win the last three (and they still have to play Ateneo). This is a building thing for the next season.