MANILA, Philippines – Don’t count out these underdogs just yet.
The University of the East and Ateneo de Manila University staked their claims as Final Four contenders in the UAAP Season 87 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, respectively, as an eventful preliminaries first round came to a close.
Leading the way in their playoff pursuits are Wello Lingolingo and reigning league Most Valuable Players Kacey dela Rosa, who were hailed as the Collegiate Press Corps UAAP Players of the Week backed by the Philippine Sports Commission, with Discovery Suites and World Balance as minor sponsors for the period of October 2 to 6.
Lingolingo showed off not only his range but also his heart in a pair of clutch performances that clipped the wings of the reeling Blue Eagles and the resurgent Adamson Soaring Falcons.
The UE mainstay saved his squad from the jaws of defeat with a buzzer-beating bucket in their first-round finale over Adamson, just four days after a 13-point outburst in 19 minutes of play against cellar-dwelling Ateneo.
The Red Warriors standout hit stellar averages of 11.5 points on 67 percent field-goal shooting and an identical 67 percent from three, with 3.5 boards and 3.0 steals in back-to-back victories to grab solo third place at the end of Round 1.
Five straight victories after an early 0-2 hole matched UE’s longest win streak in nine years at five and set the team’s best start to a UAAP campaign in 17 years since their undefeated, Paul Lee-led Season 70 run.
Lingolingo bested his teammate Precious Momowei, La Salle duo Kevin Quiambao and Joshua David, UST’s Mo Tounkara and NU’s Kenshin Padrones for the weekly plum.
At the end of the day, UE’s go-to sniper made sure to leave no stone unturned as he seized his biggest moment yet as a Red Warrior.
“Sinasabi ni Coach Jack [Santiago] na hindi dapat hinahanap ‘yung laro, hayaan mong ‘yung laro ‘yung pupunta sayo. ‘Yun lang yung ginagawa ko, wala akong tinitake na forced shot. Nu’ng ‘di ako makatira ng tres, humanap talaga ako ng way kung paano maka-contribute sa team especially sa defense,” Lingolingo explained.
“Binibigyan niya ako ng tiwala, binibigyan niya ako ng kumpyansa sa sarili sa kung ano ‘yung kaya kong gawin, so thankful lang talaga ako.”
Meanwhile, the women’s division saw its reigning queen do MVP things for the Blue Eagles.
Dela Rosa proved to be a bona fide double-double machine by dropping 19 points and 13 rebounds in a masterful 90-62 win over UE before her 21 markers and 13 boards fell ever so short in a narrow 58-66 loss to NU.
Katipunan’s 6-foot-4 fortress, who leads the women’s basketball MVP race after Round 1, registered her sixth and seventh double-doubles of the season to keep her 4-3 Ateneo side on track for a third straight Final Four appearance.
Hence, it was business as usual this week for an in-form Dela Rosa who normed 20 points, 13 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game.
The Blue Eagles’ first-round leader in points, rebounds, and blocks outclassed UST’s Kent Pastrana, NU rookie Cielo Pagdulagan, and Adamson’s Kem Adeshina for the weekly citation.
Halfway through the tournament, Dela Rosa believes sky’s still the limit for how much more Ateneo can give in its bid for women’s basketball supremacy.
“I think yung performance ko, not enough pa to help the team and to [reach] our goal. Marami pa akong kailangan trabahuhin din para mas maka-help pa sa team namin,” dela Rosa said.
“Iniisip ko rin yun as an advantage para sa team namin kasi kung naka-double team sa’kin, siyempre, may isang mao-open. So ayun lang, shoot lang nila... I think kaya naming mag-champion.”