UAAP: After dominating La Salle, can anyone stop Ateneo?

Three weeks into the 88th season of the UAAP, and the Ateneo Blue Eagles have looked unstoppable. Their one-and-dones have completely transformed the team from a Final Four team to a complete championship contender that outclassed rivals and finalists De La Salle Green Archers.

Kymani Ladi, Dom Escobar, and Jayden Lazo have individually led the team in scoring for the last three games, and not to mention their contributions on the defensive end, that has made the Blue Eagles the best team in total field goals allowed with 39.96%.

The scary thing about Ateneo – besides their three-headed one-and-done dragon – is that head coach Tab Baldwin and his system have allowed other players to step up and shine. Sophomore guard Jarred Bahay will always be the combo guard that runs the show, and other players like Shawn Tuano, Joshua Lazaro, and Waki Espina have shown that they can be dependable when it counts.

Despite the score, the Green Archers just never looked they were comfortable with their offense against the Blue Eagles. Mike Philipps, despite a massive double-double with 17 points and 20 rebounds, failed to stamp his presence in the first three quarters. Guards Jacob Cortez and Kean Baclaan were outmatched in the paint and couldn’t capitalize on their looks early on. 

We’ve seen La Salle dominate in the first half but collapse defensively late in their game against the UST Growling Tigers, but against the Blue Eagles, they failed to capture the momentum early, and when they did with a 19-0 rally to start the final frame, Ateneo’s lead proved too insurmountable. However, there is plenty of time for the boys of Taft and its head coach, Topex Robinson, to figure out how the pieces fit and make a dominant return to the finals.

So the question remains: who could stop this Ateneo team looking to get back to the UAAP mountaintop?

LADI-CAKES 👏

Kymani Ladi rains down crucial baskets in the third quarter to keep the Ateneo Blue Eagles rolling against the DLSU Green Archers in UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Round 1.#UAAPSeason88 #LegendsStartHere #StrengthInMotionHopeInAction pic.twitter.com/OwHOv0mTUH

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) October 5, 2025

UP Fighting Maroons

While UP has seemingly bounced back after a horrid start to their title defense, they would need a strong collective effort to stun Ateneo on Wednesday.

Their size problem persists, and from what we’ve seen Ateneo do with their size advantage, the Fighting Maroons need to outgun the Blue Eagles to have a chance.

Harold Alarcon, despite already being one of the pillars of the team, needs to show his postseason form this early, alongside Rey Remogat, who has shown flashes of his old UE Red Warrior offensive capabilities.

The season’s first Battle of Katipunan will also be a measuring stick of how good foreign student-athlete (FSA) Francis Nnoruka and experienced big men Gani Steven and Sean Alter can be. They have looked comfortable in recent games due to better playmaking, but can they be as successful against Ateneo’s bigger and quicker big men?

UST Growling Tigers

One team that has solved its size mismatches is the Growling Tigers, who sit with a 3-1 slate. FSA Collins Akowe has looked solid in recent games despite suffering from the flu. After a shaky loss against the NU Bulldogs, UST bounced back, becoming the first team to reach 100 points in two seasons against UE.

Wingmen Amiel Acido and Mark Llemit have stepped up to help Akowe and star forward Nic Cabanerro on the offensive side. Kyle Paranada and Gelo Crisostomo can also be counted on, as seen in past games. Forthsky Padrigao also knows a thing or two about Ateneo and Baldwin’s system. The Tigers have no problem getting a gun fight with Ateneo, but the problem is would the Blue Eagles would even allow them to fire at all?

UST struggled against NU because of its solid defense. They shot below 40% for the first time this season and settled for contested shots in the late stages en route to the loss. Head coach Pido Jarencio has instilled a versatile offense that can produce open shots at the corner. It will be UST’s shotmaking and efficiency that can potentially stop the Blue Eagles’ early dominance.

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