UAAP men's basketball: Douanga the man for Adamson; UST is for real

MANILA, Philippines – It was an eventful Saturday, September 7, in the 82nd UAAP men’s basketball tournament. The league’s standings were shook and we were treated to some great games.

Lenda Douanga saves the day for Adamson

I really thought that for long stretches, National University looked good and was going to wrap this game with a win. Dave Ildefonso, who I should really add to the conversation as the probably the best all-around player in the UAAP after Thirdy Ravena (and now with USTs Rhenz Abando crowding him for that unofficial title), showed how prime time he is. He hit all the crucial baskets and what looked to be the game-winner with a second left, 84-83.

Douanga, in only his second UAAP game (he has given a good account of himself the previous year while playing for Adamson’s Team B), sent the game into overtime with a clutch basket. And then he swished the game-winner with Ildefonso and Issa Gaye charging at him. 

He finished with 26 points, 19 rebounds and one block.

A loss could have sent Adamson reeling as they really labored for the entire game. They got by because of the late heroics of Val Chauca and Dounga. This win is massive because 1-1 is a lot better than 0-2, and it restores confidence to the Soaring Falcons.

While Jerrick Ahanmisi and Simon Camacho played better in this game, it was still their newcomers who were massive. They should find their form soon.

Is this the best game of the young season?

UST is for real

Not if UST can help it. 

That 85-69 win by the UST Growling Tigers over highly fancied UP confirms that they are for real. Then again, if you saw them in the PBA D-League and the Filoil Preseason Cup, you would have seen how good they are.

It was a masterful win over UP, which sends the Fighting Maroons crashing back to earth. Even if this team hasn’t won anything just yet, you can see how head coach Aldin Ayo is doing his best work. Unlike the teams he inherited in Letran and La Salle where they were already made and a veteran bunch, this one is him. All him. He rebuilt it from the debacle that was the previous stints of other coaches. This batch of Tigers looks every bit as menacing as Pido Jarencio’s teams that made the finals in 2012-13.

They played better team defense than UP and when it was winning time, it was their cast of no-name stars — but up-and-coming-ones I must qualify — who won it. 

UST outscored UP, 22-11, in the final period. They shot 47% to UP’s 21% and outrebounded the fighting Maroons, 14-11.

Five players scored in double digits — Soulemane Chabi Yo, Mark Nonoy, Renzo Subido, Rhenz Abando and Dave Ando. They all took turns in putting the big hurt on UP, which once more drew subpar performances from Juan Gomez De Liaño and Ricci Rivero.

I like UST’s patience on offense and their bullishness on defense. Even when UP went on a run, they remained calm and composed. Furthermore, they answered UP’s run that ended the game.