By: Joaquin Cortez

University of Santo Tomas is bracing for a determined Ateneo de Manila University fightback when the two squads collide in a crucial UAAP Season 89 collegiate men’s basketball showdown at the Quadricentennial Pavilion on Saturday.

The Growling Tigers have every reason to expect a fierce challenge from the Blue Eagles, who will be out to settle old scores after falling to UST in an epic triple-overtime thriller last year.

On October 11, 2025, the Tigers outlasted Ateneo, 98-89, in a marathon encounter at the Blue Eagle Gym, dealing the Blue Eagles a painful defeat on their home floor.

UST also got the better of Ateneo in their most recent meeting in the Pinoyliga Big Dance semifinals on August 31, 2026. It earned a 76-68 victory to end the Blue Eagles’ dream run in their first preseason tournament since the Dipaculao tragedy.

With another chapter of their rivalry looming, UST big man Collins Akowe is expecting Ateneo to come out swinging, although he is keeping his focus on what the Growling Tigers need to do on their home court.

(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team

“Nothing to think about; it’s just basketball. But at the same time, I hope the UST community comes out to support us, because you know, it’s our home court and hopefully we get a win there,” Akowe said.

The Tigers will enter the matchup with renewed confidence after snapping a three-game losing streak with an 81-69 victory last Wednesday. The result improved their record to 3-3 and gave them a chance to close the first round on a winning note.

UST, however, cannot afford to let its recent breakthrough turn into complacency, especially against an Ateneo side eager to regain its footing after consecutive defeats.

The Blue Eagles are likewise carrying a 3-3 record but will be looking to snap their own two-game skid before the end of the first round.

Ateneo will also welcome back head coach Louie Alas, who is set to return to the sidelines after serving a one-game suspension.

With Alas back calling the shots, the Blue Eagles will look to regain their footing and spoil UST’s homecoming while seeking revenge for their previous setbacks against the Growling Tigers.

(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team

UST, meanwhile, knows that home-court advantage alone will not guarantee another victory against its familiar rival.

The Growling Tigers have also been reminded of the challenge of facing Ateneo at the QPav.

Mark Llemit recalled their previous encounter at the venue on October 19, 2024, when the Blue Eagles escaped with a narrow 67-64 win.

“Talo kami sa Ateneo noong homecourt ng UST. So ‘yun, paghahandaan namin ‘yun this Saturday,” Llemit said.

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ANTIPOLO — Phoenix Super LPG became the latest to punch a quarterfinal ticket in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup following a 105-101 come-from-behind victory over Meralco at the Ynares Center here on Friday night.

The Fuel Masters turned the game around early in the final period after trailing by as much as 13 points before putting together the decisive 9-0 run toward a 101-91 lead with 2:37 to spare, practically putting the game out of reach.

Eventually, Coach Charles Tiu & Co. would complete a group-phase sweep of the Bolts, in the process improving to 5-3 to break a tie and overtake Rain or Shine (4-3)—for now—at the second spot of a truly competitive Group B.

(C) PBA Images

Phoenix has also become just the second team from the pool to reach the final eight after current leaders Magnolia, which punched its ticket following a 112-93 rout of Barangay Ginebra in their Manila Clasico rematch last Sunday.

And it could earn a better seeding for the playoffs’ first round should it take care of business against the in-danger Kings this Sunday, still in this venue. The crowd darlings are currently tied at fifth with Blackwater with 3-5 cards.

“Hopefully we can still go for the win sa last two games for a better seed,” said Tiu as they will finish their eliminations against the Elasto Painters on Oct. 23.

Rivero led the Fuel Masters with 26 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. New import Marcellus Earlington finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds plus five assists as he led their strong fourth-quarter attack to top Meralco.

BJ Johnson’s replacement scored 14 in the said period, almost scoring half of the team’s total output as the crew poured in 31 to finish the bout.

Earlington was also part of the crew that put together the aforementioned rally to put it away, knocking down a big triple for the 99-91 lead with 3:06 left.

Also contributing to that assault was Kai Ballungay, who wound up with 17 points. Kenneth Tuffin delivered a double-double of his own with 16 and 10, while Gian Mamuyac and Tyler Tio added 13 and 10 markers, respectively.

“We challenged the team that this is not the team that we know. It’s basically about not being soft. We’re acting as if we would not get eliminated if we don’t get the win. That’s the challenge,” said Tiu about their second-half fightback.

(C) PBA Images

Jordon Varnado had 36 points and seven rebounds plus four assists to lead the Bolts, who finished the group stage with a 4-6 record and will now have to wait whether or not they could salvage a spot in the playoffs.

CJ Cansino made 18 points and five rebounds while Bong Quinto and Jason Brickman added at least 10 each in the loss that’s indeed tough for a squad that has reached the semifinals of the previous two conferences this season.

The Scores:

Phoenix Super LPG 105 – Rivero 26, Earlington 20, Ballungay 17, Tuffin 16, Mamuyac 13, Tio 10, Delos Santos 2, Escandor 1, Chua 0, Ando 0, Santos 0.

Meralco 101 – Varnado 36, Cansino 18, Quinto 14, Brickman 10, Newsome 7, Hodge 6, Banchero 6, Bates 4. Mocon 0.

Quarterscores: 20-27, 42-52, 74-76, 105-101.

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Don’t expect the PBA to accommodate a guest team for Season 51.

The league is rolling with its 12 teams for the 2027 competitions, citing a busy schedule ahead, which would make it difficult to add a foreign club into the mix.

Not to mention the disappointing stint of Macau in the ongoing Season 50 that has irked many after hardly competing in the two conferences it played.

“Puno ang schedule natin,” Commissioner Willie Marcial told Tiebreaker Times.

The amiable executive said as much on Friday, shortly after the Giant Pandas received a rude sendoff at the hands of Converge, 162-108, in Antipolo.

It was their final game in the PBA as the Commissioner’s Office no longer wants to bring them back after failing to spice up Asia’s pioneering pro league. Macau accumulated a 5-19 record overall, a disappointing run considering that their predecessors gave the other teams some tough battles.

The league reopened its doors to guest squads during the 2022-23 season, with EASL in-house team Bay Area coming in.

(C) PBA Images

And the Dragons took the PBA by storm, dominantly making their way into the Commissioner’s Cup Finals before falling to Ginebra in seven games.

Hong Kong Eastern then became the next foreign team to play in the league for the 2024-25 Commissioner’s Cup, and they did compete before fizzling out.

After a promising start into the midseason tilt, the effects of playing in about three leagues took their toll on the team, eventually bowing out of the quarters.

(C) PBA Images

Macau was expected to at least become a playoff team when they first arrived in the 2025-26 Commissioner’s Cup, but turned out to be a total failure.

They only won thrice during the conference, even sacking then-head coach Garrett Kelly midway through the season. Then things got worse come the Governors’ Cup as they finished with a 2-10 record in Group A.

Macau, admittedly, was beset by manpower woes throughout its stay, to the point that it lost four important players during the recent international break.

Though the reason was valid, the PBA has deemed it best not to bring them back anymore, and just map out the Season 51 calendar with its 12 teams.

It does not mean, though, that Marcial and the Board are closing their doors on foreign clubs, planning to open things again perhaps by Season 52. In fact, the Omni Erdenet Miners of Mongolia’s The League asked about competing in the league as a guest team, but nothing was cast in stone.

The Miners were recently in Manila to play a series of tune-up games against PBA teams as part of their preparations for their domestic league.

“Wala ‘yun, nagtanong lang sila,” Marcial said. “Talks lang.”

Season 51 is set to open in March 2027 and is planned to end by December of the same year, giving the impression that the schedule could be compressed.

Marcial clarified that the next season won’t rely heavily on the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027, as the league will still pause for the global conclave.

Whether or not Gilas Pilipinas qualifies, he said.

“Pasok man o hindi, tigil tayo,” said the league chieftain.

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