Ateneo Cruises Past Adamson in Strong Start to Preseason Cup Campaign

UAAP Ateneo de Manila University opened its 19th Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup campaign on a convincing note, rolling past Adamson University, 72-52, on Saturday at the Playtime Filoil Centre in San Juan.

The Blue Eagles seized control in the second quarter, erupting for 26 points to turn a competitive contest into a one-sided affair. Their offensive surge helped build a commanding 44-25 halftime advantage that ultimately paved the way for the comfortable victory.

Travis Roberts spearheaded Ateneo’s attack with 17 points and three rebounds, including eight points during the decisive first-half run. Kieffer Alas and Waki Espina also provided valuable contributions with nine points apiece.

Despite the dominant performance, head coach Tab Baldwin stressed that the team still has significant room for improvement.

“We're still a long way away from being able to play the kind of cohesive basketball that I want from the team,” Baldwin said. “But today was encouraging, especially our defense. It showed a lot of energy and it sustained itself.”

Adamson struggled to find offensive rhythm throughout the game, with no player reaching double figures in scoring. Ray Allen Torres led the Soaring Falcons with eight points as they dropped to 0-2 in the UAAP bracket.

Meanwhile, University of Santo Tomas finally broke into the win column with an 83-75 triumph over Far Eastern University.

Gelo Crisostomo powered the Growling Tigers with 22 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, scoring 10 points during a pivotal third-quarter run. Amiel Acido added 20 points and six rebounds, highlighted by three three-pointers.

Kirk Cañete contributed 11 points in a starting role, while Collins Akowe posted an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double as UST improved to 1-2.

FEU leaned heavily on its starters in the loss, with Kirby Mongcopa finishing with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Mo Konateh recorded 12 points and 11 boards as the Tamaraws absorbed their first defeat after opening the tournament with back-to-back wins.

In the NCAA division, Colegio de San Juan de Letran extended its winning streak to three games after defeating Mapúa University, 83-72.

Titing Manalili led the Knights with 18 points, six assists, and five rebounds, while Lance Siena added 16 points, including three shots from beyond the arc.

George Diamante played a crucial role in the victory, contributing six points and nine rebounds while providing the interior presence that helped Letran pull away late. The Knights stretched their lead to 81-68 with 1:18 remaining before closing out the win to improve to 3-1.

“It’s a process para kay George. The past two years talagang naka-focus na siya dun sa aral but sabi ko lang sa kanya just take it one step at a time,” said Letran coach Allen Ricardo regarding his incoming rookie.

Mapúa fell to 1-1 despite a solid outing from Cyrus Cuenco, who finished with 14 points and nine rebounds.

Elsewhere, College of Saint Benilde bounced back with an 85-72 victory over Lyceum of the Philippines University.

Matt Jucom caught fire from long distance, knocking down five three-pointers en route to a game-high 22 points as the Blazers connected on 15 of their 43 attempts from beyond the arc.

Zenric Jarque added 16 points on four triples, while SJ Moore and rookie Arle Podador chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Lyceum, which slipped to 1-3, drew a near triple-double performance from Matthew Rubico, who tallied 15 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists in the losing effort.