Camille Naredo

Jude Eriobu and Ziv Espinas of Ateneo celebrate against UST in the UAAP Season 88 boys' basketball tournament, January 25, 2026 at the Blue Eagle Gym. UAAP Media

Jude Eriobu and Ziv Espinas of Ateneo celebrate against UST in the UAAP Season 88 boys' basketball tournament, January 25, 2026 at the Blue Eagle Gym.

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UAAP Season 88

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1769415705361UAAP88 HS Basketball - Jude Eriobu, Ziv Espinas-2408.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Jude Eriobu and Ziv Espinas of Ateneo celebrate against UST in the UAAP Season 88 boys&#x27; basketball tournament, January 25, 2026 at the Blue Eagle Gym. UAAP Media" width="960"/>Jude Eriobu and Ziv Espinas of Ateneo celebrate against UST in the UAAP Season 88 boys&#x27; basketball tournament, January 25, 2026 at the Blue Eagle Gym. UAAP Media</div>MANILA -- Ateneo de Manila University piled on the woes of defending champion University of Santo Tomas, taking a 100-88 win in the UAAP Season 88 boys&#x27; basketball tournament on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.Jude Eriobu finished what Ziv Espinas as the Blue Eagles improved to 5-0 in the tournament.Espinas ignited the Blue Eagles&#x27; spirited comeback late in the third quarter, before Eriobu took over down the stretch, scoring eight of Ateneo&#x27;s final 17 points to hand the Tiger Cubs a fourth loss in five outings.Meanwhile, Cabs Cabonilas and Pat Sohm powered Far Eastern University-Diliman to its third straight victory, leaning on a dominant fourth quarter to secure a 96-73 triumph over the University of the East.With the contrasting results, Ateneo remained on top of the eight-team standings, still a game ahead of FEU-D, which improved to 4-1. UST stayed in seventh place with a 1-4 slate, while UE slipped to a share of sixth with Adamson University at 2-3.&quot;It was the players who really won the game today. As much as we prepared for this game, and I know we&#x27;re prepared, it was the players -- they really wanted to win,&quot; Blue Eagles head coach Bacon Austria said. &quot;Not to brag or anything, we knew what we really wanted to do, it was a matter of executing it down the stretch.&quot;A floater by LJ Lapastora gave UST an 80-72 cushion with 1:35 remaining in the third quarter, but Espinas sparked Ateneo&#x27;s decisive 16-2 run with nine points, turning the tide and giving the Blue Eagles a 78-72 lead with over seven minutes left.The Tiger Cubs refused to fold as Jetlee Melano knocked down two free throws and Charles Esteban scored on a layup to cut the deficit to 83-81 with 5:41 remaining. However, EK Kaw drilled a timely triple before Eriobu showed nerves of steel in the closing minutes.The 17-year-old Nigerian center scored eight straight points to restore a 92-86 cushion with 1:25 left, before Banal calmly converted four free throws to seal Ateneo&#x27;s hard-fought, come-from-behind win.Eriobu finished with a dominant double-double of 28 points and 21 rebounds, along with one block and one assist. Banal added 25 points, three assists, two steals, and two rebounds, while Jay-M Leal chipped in 17 points, eight rebounds, and two assists.Espinas narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, to go with two assists and one block.JC Canapi led UST with 24 points, three steals, one rebound, and one assist, while Wacky Ludovice contributed 15 points, three assists, two rebounds, one steal, and one block. Esteban tallied 13 points, four steals, three rebounds, and one assist, while Kirk Cañete added 12 points, six assists, four rebounds, and one steal.<div> </div><div>BABY TAMS PULL AWAY FOR THE WIN</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1769415724320UAAP88 HS Basketball - Cabs Cabonilas-0320.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Cabs Cabonilas of FEU-Diliman in action against UE in the UAAP Season 88 boys&#x27; basketball tournament, January 25, 2026 at the Blue Eagle Gym. UAAP Media" width="960"/>Cabs Cabonilas of FEU-Diliman in action against UE in the UAAP Season 88 boys&#x27; basketball tournament, January 25, 2026 at the Blue Eagle Gym. UAAP Media</div>In the other game, after Gab delos Reyes and Jolo Pascual hit back-to-back triples to knot the game at 61-all, graduating forward Marc Burgos scored six straight points before Sohm finished a layup to give the Baby Tamaraws a 69-61 lead heading into the fourth quarter.Louie Bual opened the final period with a triple to keep the Junior Warriors within five, 69-64, but that was as close as UE would get. FEU-D responded with a decisive 15-2 run—capped by two Prince Cariño free throws and a Sohm layup—to build an 86-66 advantage with 5:03 remaining.&quot;Nagawa nung players yung adjustments that we had to do on defense [noong fourth quarter], kaya 12 points lang sila. Mainly, it was their transition attack that we stopped, they had their shots, but luckily, nag-miss sila,&quot; Baby Tamaraws head coach Mike Reyes said.Cabonilas led FEU-D with 22 points on 6-of-12 shooting, along with 14 rebounds, five assists, three steals, and one block. Burgos added 12 points, seven rebounds, and one assist.Sohm finished with eight points, five rebounds, three steals, and one block, while Khean Esperanza, Nigerian center Assan Gaye, Adi Alagaban, and Dwyne Enriquez each scored eight points in the win.For UE, Mhico Abellar paced the Junior Warriors with 12 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal, while Delos Reyes added 11 points, two assists, and one rebound.Ethan Aguas was limited to seven points on four shot attempts, along with five rebounds and one block, while Sizco Roquid continued to struggle, finishing with two points on 1-of-7 shooting, two turnovers, two rebounds, and one assist.<div> </div><div>The Scores:</div><div>Third Game:</div>FEU-D (96) - Cabonilas 22, Burgos 12, Esperanza 8, Gaye 8, Sohm 8, Alagaban 8, Enriquez 8, Cagurungan 7, Dagcutan 5, Hall 4, Carino 4, Raneses 2, J. Santos 0, Dulin 0, D. Santos 0.UE (73) - Abellar 12, Delos Reyes 11, Bual 9, Pascual 8, Aguas 7, Lorenzo 5, Edoukou 5, Oraa 5, Braga 4, Diaz 3, Roquid 2, Timbol 2, Orca 0, Panganiban 0, Copada 0.Quarterscores: 32-28, 50-46, 69-61, 96-73.<div> </div><div>Fourth Game:</div>Ateneo (100) - Eriobu 28, Banal 25, Leal 17, Madrangca 9, Espinas 9, Kaw 6, Kallos 6, Gatmaitan 2, Lacsamana 2.UST (88) - Canapi 24, Ludovice 15, Esteban 13, Canete 12, Melano 11, Lapastora 5, Ajani 4, Bathan 2, Pulongbarit 2, Vidanes 0, Sta. Maria 0, Candare 0.Quarterscores: 24-17, 41-47, 66-70, 100-88.

Ateneo de Manila University piled on the woes of defending champion University of Santo Tomas, taking a 100-88 win in the UAAP Season 88 boys' basketball tournament on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.

Ateneo de Manila University piled on the woes of defending champion University of Santo Tomas, taking a 100-88 win in the UAAP Season 88 boys' basketball tournament on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.

UAAP: Ateneo boys fend off UST to stay unbeaten; FEU-D wins third straight

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UAAP: Ateneo boys fend off UST to stay unbeaten; FEU-D wins third straight

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Published Jan 26, 2026 04:22 PM PHT

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