UAAP Preview: Ateneo seeks bounce-back win against fellow contender UST

After tasting defeat for the first time in UAAP Season 88, the Ateneo Blue Eagles look to regain their winning ways against a fellow title contender in the UST Growling Tigers on Saturday. At the same time, the Adamson Soaring Falcons will try to snap their three-game slump against the winless UE Red Warriors.

Going into Saturday, UST and Ateneo are at the top of offensive and defensive statistics. The Growling Tigers have shot a league-high 44.52% from the field, while also leading the league in second-chance points and points in the paint. Ateneo, meanwhile, has allowed the fewest three-point percentage in the league with 23.21% and is ranked in the top 5 in points, field goals, and points in the paint allowed per game. 

This game might serve as the most intriguing in Round 1 due to Ateneo’s loss against the UP Fighting Maroons on Wednesday, and UST’s mostly consistent start to the season. As crazy as it seems, this game between two of the winningest schools in the UAAP is the most possible Finals preview matchup this season – not discounting the likes of UP, De La Salle Green Archers, and NU Bulldogs.

Here are the updated team standings in the #UAAPSeason88 Men’s, Women’s, and U16 Basketball Tournaments after the games yesterday (October 8) at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.#StrengthInMotionHopeInAction pic.twitter.com/izekPMDn1x

— The UAAP (@uaap_official) October 9, 2025

Can UST stop Kymani Ladi? Well, you can ask the same thing with Ateneo regarding the Growling Tigers’ foreign student-athlete Collins Akowe. Nic Cabanero, Amiel Acido, and Forthsky Padrigao also pose problems for the Blue Eagles. The España squad’s depth has become one of the consistent in the UAAP this season; everyone can step up, and Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin is surely wary of that fact.

On the other side, UST boasts one of the shakiest defenses in the league statistically. Gunning their opponents out has become the signature for head coach Pido Jarencio and his Tigers this season, but against Ateneo, that may prove costly, as expounded by Ateneo’s size and length on the court with Dominic Escobar, Jayden Lazo, and Sean Tuano.

As both teams look to strengthen their Final Four spots this early, we should expect fireworks from a team bouncing off a frustrating loss to the defending champions, and the other wanting to erase the burden of a 19-year championship drought.

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