Ateneo de Manila University is set for an exciting campaign in UAAP Season 90 with 6-foot-10 big man Malcolm Tyler joining the Blue and White.

After finishing as first runners-up in the 2026 NBTC Division 2 Championship, the Fil-Canadian prospect was almalcready seen meeting with Blue Eagle head coach Tab Baldwin. Following the game, Tyler confirmed his commitment to Ateneo.

“Man, it’s gonna be a great experience. I mean, just, it was kind of a slow burn for the first few weeks that I was here, but now that it’s gonna be out officially, it becomes a lot easier to talk about,” he said.

“And honestly, it’s just, it’s really exciting for me to be able to get this journey started.”

Averaging 11.0 points and 12.0 rebounds for Top Flight Canada, Tyler will provide Ateneo with a much-needed reinforcement in the frontcourt.

Tyler played his first two years at the University of the Fraser Valley in Canada before deciding to return home to the Philippines. He will sit out one year to fulfill residency requirements, making him eligible for UAAP Season 90. He will have three playing years remaining with the Blue Eagles.

The 19-year-old center, who attended Brookswood Academy, is eager to play under Baldwin’s tactical leadership and shared how his journey to Ateneo began.

“They reached out to me and I was able to set up a meeting with Boss Q (Epok Quimpo) and Coach Tab Baldwin. And from the first Zoom meeting I had with those two, there was an instant connection between Coach Tab and me, especially,” he said.

He added that Baldwin resonated with him through his deep understanding of the game, which “jives with the way he likes to play basketball.”

From Zoom calls to finally returning to the Philippines after spending nearly his entire life in Canada, Tyler noted that the comfort level he felt with Baldwin extended to his first practice sessions with Ateneo.

“I’m looking most forward to just the overall experience that Ateneo is gonna provide me. So far, I’ve practiced with the team a few times, and they’ve all been so welcoming,” he expressed.

“Frankly, the entire Filipino culture and the Filipino people have been very welcoming to me as this is the first time I’ve been here in 18 years.”

He expressed appreciation for the warm reception he had received in Manila and shared his excitement about playing with the Blue Eagles, especially alongside fellow recruit Kiefer Alas.

“That goes to the team as well. Like, they’ve got a good group of guys right now, but they’ve also got some young guys coming up. One of those players is Kiefer Alas. I know he’s a very big name in the Philippines, and I’m very excited to start my playing career with such a very good and very well-known player,” he added.

The Langley native also credited his time at the NBTC and Global Hoops for shaping his early introduction to local basketball, immediately playing in venues like the Mall of Asia Arena and the Blue Eagle Gym, while praising coach Nap Santos for giving him the opportunity.

“I credit that to Coach Nap Santos, who brought me here, who gave me the opportunity to play here in the first place.

“Him and being surrounded by a good group of guys, including guys that have fought really hard to get here. That’s just made it such a more enjoyable experience for me personally,” he shared.

Tyler also emphasized his commitment to balancing academics and athletics, a value Ateneo holds in high regard.

“On top of that, too, being a student-athlete, student comes first in that as well. So being able to pursue an education at such an esteemed school while also playing basketball for such a great group of guys and a phenomenal coaching staff is just something that, you know, any player would wish for in a heartbeat. And the fact that I get to experience that firsthand is so so special to me.”

The post Ateneo lands 6-10 Malcolm Tyler after stint at UFV appeared first on Tiebreaker Times.

University of the East claimed two gold medals on the final day to reclaim the women’s title, but University of Santo Tomas prevented an event sweep and captured its first-ever girls’ crown at the conclusion of the UAAP Season 88 Fencing Championships on Monday at the Makati Coliseum.

The 15-time women’s champion Lady Warriors knew that securing the remaining golds in the epee and sabre team events would clinch the title—and they delivered.

“Masaya na malungkot; masaya kasi naibalik namin ‘yung championship, pero malungkot kasi last ko na. So, sana ‘yung sa mga susunod na season ‘yung mga teammates ko, sana huwag nilang bitawan ‘tong championship na nakuha namin,” said newly crowned four-time MVP Queenie Dalmacio, who captured four titles over her five-season UAAP career.

“Mag-training pa rin sila; huwag silang sumuko. Huwag nila dapat hayaang mawala ‘yung championship uli. May panghihinayang sa girls, pero alam kong kaya nila maibalik ‘yon. Laban lang,“ added the Masters in Public Administration student-athlete.

In the high school division, the Junior Female Fencers secured the title after Lia Gillana and her teammates posted a 45–39 victory in the sabre team final over Opao Cantantan and the Junior Lady Warriors.

“After that, I felt overwhelmed po, kasi lahat ng hard work at effort ko po paid off. Minsan bumabyahe pa ko ng two hours after school, and back home, I’m doing my assignments. It was very hectic,” Gillana said, reflecting on her personal contribution to the team’s milestone.

The champion team admitted they are still in awe of their achievement.

“It still hadn’t sunk in; it still feels unreal. Kahit na hawak na namin ‘yung trophy,” Gillana shared.

The women’s title was also aided by results elsewhere that denied erstwhile leaders, the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, the crown. UP came close to ending an 18-season drought with a berth in the epee team final, but individual champion Jennina Mendoza fell to De La Salle University’s Cyrra Vergara, 45–44, in the semifinals in overtime.

The Lady Warriors then defeated the Lady Green Fencers, 44–40, in the final to move one step closer to their 16th title.

UST also had its moment in the sabre team final, with Kim Shaznee Tuy taking a 43–42 lead. But Dalmacio ensured she ended her UAAP career as a champion, scoring three straight points to reclaim the sabre team crown and the overall title from UST.

(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team

In the high school girls’ division, UE had its own success as Willa Galvez and Mikaela Ragot led the epee squad to a 45–34 victory over the Hannah Belarmino-led Ateneo.

UE had already clinched the collegiate men’s and high school boys’ divisions on Sunday, but they closed their campaigns with additional golds in the foil team events. Four-time MVP Shawn Felipe and the Red Warriors dominated the Fighting Maroons, 45–22, while three-time top student-athlete James Lim led the Junior Warriors to a 45–30 victory over the Junior Male Fencers.

Although UE fell short of sweeping the events for the second consecutive season, winning three titles across the collegiate men’s and women’s divisions and the high school boys’ division was a fitting tribute to program head Amat Canlas in his final season with the university.

“Ingatan nila ‘yung dynasty na nasimulan namin kasi hindi naman basta-basta ‘to eh. We started from nothing, malalim ‘yung ugat ng UE at hindi ‘to basta-basta champion,” said the legendary head coach.

“From sa ‘kin pa hanggang sa present, natuloy ‘yung pagiging dynasty namin. So pag-alis ko, kung sino man ang papalit sa ‘kin, ituloy lang nila.”

The Fighting Maroons finished as runners-up in the women’s division for the second time in three years, ending with a 3–1–2 tally, highlighted by Nana Carbonell’s double gold in foil. The Female Fencers’ performance (0–2–2) allowed them to leapfrog the Lady Green Fencers (0–2–1) on the podium after earning silver in the sabre team and bronze in epee.

In the men’s division, Kurt Maruquez and the Green Fencers finished the season with a 1–2–3 record, edging out Rookie of the Year Calix Ho and the Fighting Maroons (1–2–2) for the second spot behind the Red Warriors.

Opao Cantantan earned her third consecutive UAAP MVP in the high school girls’ division as UE finished second with a 3–1–3 tally. Ateneo’s Belarmino secured the school’s first-ever podium finish in the division with a 0–1–4 record.

Guest team PAREF Southridge finished runner-up in the high school boys’ division, powered by Enrico Fuentes’ performance (1–0–2), while Vito Coching and De La Salle Zobel rounded out the podium with a 1–0–1 record.

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Far Eastern University-Diliman and University of Santo Tomas continued to set the pace atop the UAAP Season 88 High School Boys’ Football Tournament standings.

League leaders Baby Tamaraws cruised to a resounding 5–0 victory over the Ateneo Blue Eagles, while defending champions Junior Golden Booters edged 10-man Southridge Admirals, 1–0, in a hard-fought contest.

Meanwhile, Adamson University secured its first victory in program history with a 4–1 trouncing of Claret School of Quezon City.

The result proved doubly significant, as it officially eliminated the Red Roosters from Final Four contention.

FEU-D and UST currently share the top spot with 19 points each, but the Baby Tamaraws hold the lead due to a superior goal difference of plus-20 compared to the Junior Golden Booters’ plus-12.

Rounding out the top five is third-placed De La Salle Zobel (14 points), which was on hiatus this week, followed by Ateneo (13 points) and Southridge (11 points).

Adamson currently sits in sixth place with six points, while Claret remains in seventh with three points following its elimination.

The dominant performance marked a return to form for the Baby Tamaraws. Coming off a disappointing 1–1 draw against La Salle last week, FEU-Diliman unleashed its wrath on Ateneo, replicating its 5–0 shutout from February 17.

Enzo Panganiban stole the show, scoring in the 21st, 73rd, and 77th minutes for the Baby Tamaraws, while John Inocencio and Jerriemy Biton provided an early cushion with goals in the 3rd and 17th minutes, respectively.

“Grabe, pinabilib ako ni Enzo, as always,” said FEU-D coach Jake Morallo on Panganiban, who now has six goals this season. “(Even) in training, he is a very deadly pag sa side namin. Every time may chances siya, he will take them with no hesitation. Kung di mo siya i-guard nang maayos, he will deliver good passes. Very happy with the performance of Enzo today.”

(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team

The second match of the afternoon saw UST avenge its 1–0 first-round loss to Southridge with a victory by the same scoreline.

Midfielder Roy Panunciar Jr. provided the breakthrough for the Junior Golden Booters, scoring the game’s lone goal in the 30th minute to lift the defending champions.

UST striker Argos Alingalan proved to be a constant menace throughout the match. After forcing a fine save from Southridge goalkeeper Reign Deomampo earlier in the contest, Alingalan later drew a straight red card from Deomampo in the 77th minute following a reckless challenge outside the box.

“Happy ako nakapag 1-0 kami against Southridge,” said Junior Golden Booters deputy David Basa. “Yung hard work namin nag-pay off, especially the boys. Nag-prepare kami talaga against Southridge. May mga plan kami nag-work, may mga plan kami hindi. At least, in the end, nakuha namin yung win.”

(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team

Unlike their first-round encounter on January 31, where Claret prevailed 3–2, it was Adamson’s turn to claim a milestone victory behind Stephen Derrick’s clinical finishing.

Derrick spearheaded the second-half surge with a brace, finding the net in the 71st and 90th minutes to anchor the historic result.

The San Vicente Elementary School product’s goals capped off a dominant performance for the Baby Falcons, with captain Rian Solaiman setting the tone in the 36th minute before Josh Año added a header in the 85th.

Red Roosters forward Rolando Torres had briefly leveled the contest with a header in the 44th minute, but his strike proved to be a false dawn as Derrick and the Baby Falcons’ attack took control after the break.

“I’m just proud of the boys,” said Adamson’s Cameroonian coach Darlton Digha. “When you look at their faces, they’re happy. It’s the first win for them. They made history for Adamson since they’re the first high school team to get three points. I’m just proud of them.”

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