UAAP Weekend Preview: Ateneo-La Salle rivalry reignited, UP aims to improve in standings vs unbeaten NU

One of the UAAP’s most storied rivalries is back in full force this weekend. Ateneo and La Salle will face off again, and after roster changes and shifting expectations, the game carries extra intrigue.  While UP aim to climb up the standings for their hopes in defending their Season 87 crown against the unbeaten NU Bulldogs fresh off their third consecutive win. 

Ateneo vs La Salle: Rivalry returns with added stakes

La Salle enters this season as a “title reclamation” contender, even after losing Kevin Quiambao.Their coach, Topex Robinson, insists the team’s depth and balance will compensate for that loss. 

The Green Archers came off an escape win against a late surge by the FEU Tamaraws, with Doy Dungo leading the way with 17 points, Mason Amos, Jacob Cortez and EJ Gollena all chipped in with 14 markers respectively. 

Jacob Cortez currently leads La Salle in scoring with 15.7 points-per-game making him one of the prized additions in the Taft-based squad’s roster. 

On the other side, Ateneo is in a rebuilding or reloading mode. A recent season preview noted they are aiming to restore their basketball legacy, despite last season being turbulent.The Blue Eagles are being seen as a potential “dark horse” given their wingspan, athleticism, and the leadership of coach Tab Baldwin. 

Ateneo also went out with a win in their previous outing after routing Adamson in a 77-58 win with Divine Adili and Kymani Ladi leading the way for the Blue Eagles notching 16 and 14 points apiece. 

One twist in this edition of the rivalry: Mason Amos, formerly of Ateneo, now suits up for La Salle and will face his old team for the first time wearing green. Amos downplays the spectacle, calling it “just another game.” But for fans, the narrative is ripe: a former Eagle now challenging his old squad, in one of the league’s biggest matchups.

Expect pride, high intensity, and tactical adjustments as each side tries to impose its style. For La Salle, the aim is to show that losing a star doesn’t derail a championship chase. For Ateneo, it’s a chance to prove they can regain relevance in the upper tier.

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Let the cheers echo and the rivalries reignite—this is college basketball at its finest! … pic.twitter.com/V4hctnRwLB

— The UAAP (@uaap_official) October 1, 2025

UP vs NU: Can the defending champs stop the Bulldogs’ perfect start?

Heading into the weekend, NU is the only unbeaten team left.The Bulldogs came off a 76-69 win over UST, led by Jake Figueroa’s 22 points.That performance underlines NU’s threat: strong inside-out play, rebounding, and contributions from both starters and bench. 

NU’s dominance this season is no fluke. Jake Figueroa has been the driving force, averaging about 17 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game so far.

The win against the Growling Tigers cemented the Bulldogs as one of the teams to look out for this season, and they are expecting an appearance in this season’s Final Four.

UP, the defending champions, know they can’t afford to be complacent. Expectations are high that the Maroons will attempt to impose their own brand of cohesion, defense, and balanced offense to break NU’s streak. 

The Fighting Maroons got their first win of the season against the UE Red Warriors with Rey Remogat knocking down six threes, and dropping 21 points against his former team in the 92-75 win, while Francis Nnoruka and Gani Stevens each contributed 14 to help push UP over the top. 

If UP is to break NU’s streak this weekend, they’ll need to mix disciplined defense with smart tempo control. They need their guards to break NU’s perimeter containment, force mismatches inside, and turn defense into offense quickly. 

On the boards, they must limit NU’s second-chance opportunities. And they’ll have to weather NU’s closing runs—because when Figueroa and company find a groove late, they tend to pull away. A well-balanced UP showing could surprise, but the Bulldogs are the benchmark that everyone now measures against. 

Other games in the weekend feature the UST Growling Tigers who are looking for their third win against the winless UE Red Warriors at the 1:30pm curtain raiser for Saturday’s games, and also another opening clash on Sunday is the FEU Tamaraws taking on the Adamson Soaring Falcons. 

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