This is exactly what University of the East did yesterday as it continued to rock the 67th UAAP season, stopping Ateneo’s unbeaten run, 64-59, just five days after beating La Salle at the Araneta Coliseum.
Tenorio, who had a couple of game-winning triples as Ateneo swept the first round, was held scoreless by UE’s pesky defense that also gave the team that was never looked at during the off season a big win over La Salle last Saturday.
"Nagulat talaga ako," Tenorio, referring to the UE defense, as he emerged from the Ateneo dugout. "Hindi ko nga matandaan kung kailan ako hindi naka-iskor sa game. Siguro first time ko ito sa UAAP."
The Red Warriors moved up to 5-3, their only setbacks this year being inflicted by defending champion FEU on opening day, then Ateneo late last month, and Santo Tomas on Danny Pribhdas’ buzzer-beater two weeks ago.
"Sana tapos na ang elimination para pasok kami sa Final Four," said Dindo Pumaren, the rookie coach from UE, after the win that surely had the rest of the teams, particularly La Salle, sticking their tongues out.
With its 5-3 record, the Red Warriors are now running third, a position no one, even their own coach, ever imagined they’d be in at this stage of the tournament. They’re just playing so well as a team right now that they’re beginning to look like a real title contender.
Despite their fall, the Blue Eagles remained on top with a 7-1 record and would need just a couple more wins to nail a Final Four slot. It was their first loss since losing star forward Larry Fonacier to injury.
Completing the day of upsets was University of the Philippines which pulled off 79-74 win over Santo Tomas in the first game.
Nestor David and Toti Almeda combined for 34 points, mostly coming in pivotal runs in the first half where the Maroons raced to a 45-27 lead, an advantage they preserved the rest of the way.
"We showed mental toughness," said UP coach Lito Vergara after the victory that kept his charges in the Final Four race with a 2-6 record.