NU volleyball in do-or-die action

Games today at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum:
2 p.m. – NU vs UST (men semis)
4 p.m. – FEU vs NU (women step-ladder)

National University will have a full afternoon of action at The Big Dome today, with the resumption of postseason collegiate volleyball action.

Kicking off the doubleheader is the men's Final Four matchup against UST at 2pm. The defending champions forced a winner-take-all match after beating the second seeds, 26-24, 28-26, 23-25, and 25-21 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Awaiting the winner is top seed Ateneo on Wednesday. The Blue Spikers dispatched Adamson in the other Final Four matchup.

The second game of the doubleheader features the Lady Bulldogs going up against Far Eastern University in the official start of the stepladder postseason in women's volleyball.

NU has gone 6-3 since the move to hire Roger Gorayeb as head coach, who remains hopeful that they can replicate the feat Ateneo did last season in its ascent to the championship.

The Lady Tamaraws completed the cast after defeating old rivals UST in a a playoff, 25-21, 25-15, 20-25, 16-25, 15-6. The win marks their return to the postseason after missing out on the last two seasons. Libero Tin Agno was the only player from that squad that is still on the roster.

For head coach Shaq delos Santos, he wants to see the Lady Tamaraws to remain focused and enjoying the game, as they play their fourth straight elimination match. He adds, "Maganda ang ikinikilos ng NU, pero hindi kami nawawalan ng pag-asa. Nakakaakyat na kami. Yung butas ng karayom, napapalaki namin. Pero hindi kami puwedeng mag-relax dahil tiyak na magiging intense ang pangyayari sa game (today),"

Binan to host the second 2015 Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Regional Camp

Kids aged 10-14 in South Luzon will have the chance to take part in the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Philippines program this weekend, with the Regional Selection camp at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna.

The young cagers will be tasked to undergo different tests and drills, as well as learn the core values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, (a positive) Attitude, and Respect during the first day, with the outstanding performers asked to return the next day for more skills and exercises, as well as scrimmages. Chris Sumner runs the camp, while Jeffrey Cariaso of the Alaska Power Camp, as well as Aces assistant coach Topex Robinson assist Sumner.

From the two-day participants, up to four boys and two girls will be picked to participate in the National Training Camp slated to take place in Manila on April 24-26. It is from this camp that the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA All-Stars, as well as the Coach of the Year will be plucked from and partake of the overseas NBA experience with their fellow ASEAN All-Stars..

The other upcoming Regional Camps are slated to take place in Iloilo (March 7-8), Baguio (March 14-15), Bacolod (March 21-22), Davao (March 28-29) and Metro Manila (April 11-12).

UAAP chess updates

La Salle is at the cusp of snatching its first UAAP men's chess title in over a decade.

The Green Woodpushers defeated defending champions Far Eastern University, 2.5-1.5 in the penultimate round of the competition, moving them closer to snatching the trophy they last won in 2004.

With 37.5 points, all La Salle needs to do is defeat Adamson this weekend to assure themselves of the title.

The Falcons, fresh from a 4-0 annihilation of UE, trail the leaders by 1.5 points. Overcoming that deficit means they end their 25-year title drought.

UST remained in third place after beating Ateneo, 2.5-1.5, raising the Tiger Woodpushers' total to 31.5, while NU defeated UP with the same score to remain in fourth place with 28.5 points.

On the women's side, it is FEU currently on top with 42.5 points after their 3.5-0.5 win over UST. Four-time defending champions La Salle are just two points back after their 3-1 win over UE. The two schools will meet this weekend to decide the championship.

The other results show UP assuring themselves of a third place finish with a 2.5-1.5 win over Ateneo, while NU and Adamson played to a 2-2 draw.

In the juniors, NU has virtually wrapped up the title after FEU's 1.5-2.5 loss to Adamson. The Bullpups defeated UE 3.5-0.5 to raise their total to 33.5 points.

La Salle takes finals seat in UAAP baseball

La Salle claimed the other remaining finals seat in UAAP baseball, defeating Ateneo, 14-12 at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium.

The Green Batters built a seven-run lead early on, taking advantage of the Blue Batters' throwing miscues. The defending champions, however, mounted a comeback and threatened to send the game into extras, but Carlos Munoz held on for the save in the ninth inning. He capped off the win with a strikeout of Renzo Ramos.

Head coach Joseph Orillana shared that he told Carlos not to feel the pressure and just do it "one out at a time." He adds that the upcoming finals matchup between the arch-rivals will be more about the pitchers.

Ateneo already secured the first finals seat thanks to winning the first seven games this season, although their form in going for the three-peat might be put into question due to losses in their final three matches.

La Salle's win snuffs out any hopes for UP's postseason chances, even with their 7-4 triumph over NU. The Maroon Batters have a 5-4 record, with a suspended match against La Salle still to be played.

The best-of-three finals will take place starting on March 5 at the same venue.

Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Regional Training Camps kick off in Palawan

Competition was intense in the scrimmages of the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Regional Selection Camp in Puerto Princesa

The 2015 Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA Regional Selection Camps (presented by Alaska) kicked off this past weekend in Puerto Princesa City, with almost 200 participants at the Seminario de San Jose.

Saturday saw the boys and girls aged 10-14 years old undergoing tests and drills to determine their vitals and basketball acumen, as well as instilling the program's core values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, (a positive) Attitude, and Respect (STAR). The top performers were then invited the next day for more tests and drills, as well as the chance to participate in scrimmages.

By the end of Sunday, three boys and a girl were selected to represent the province in the National Training Camp a couple of months from now. Jan Patraic Tinbancaya (Palawan State University), Jazeel Jared Trinidad and Gerald Dagot (Palawan National High School), and Mary Nicole Carlos (Palawan State University) impressed the instructors present to be the lucky ones picked.

Palawan's representatives for the National Training Camp of Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Philippines 2015 presented by Alaska.   L-R: John Patraic Tinbancaya, Gerald Dagot, Mary Nicole Carlos and Jazeel Jared Trinidad.

According to Camp Director Chris Sumner, he expressed excitement for the four kids, recognizing the boys' versatility, athleticism and talent, while adding that Mary Nicole was "awesome" during the camp.

This is the third time in the past four years that Puerto Princesa was selected as a Regional Camp for the program, with the camp already yielding a Jr. NBA All-Star in Paul Harvey Dagunan.

The next Regional Camp will take place in Biñan, Laguna on February 28 / March 1, followed by one in Iloilo (March 7-8), Baguio (March 14-15), Bacolod (March 21-22), Davao (March 28-29) and Manila (April 11-12). The outstanding participants will then join the National Training Camp on April 24-26, from which ten Jr. NBA and five Jr. WNBA All-Stars, as well as the Coach of the Year, will be named.

Those who are interested in this free program can check out the website (www.jrnba.asia/philippines) for more details.

UST, FEU keep postseason hopes alive

The postseason for women's volleyball got a little more complicated, with UST and FEU ensuring that at least one playoff game will be needed before the stepladder officially begins.

The Tigresses assured themselves of at least a playoff after easily dispatching the UE Lady Warriors, 25-10 25-22 and 25-11. EJ Laure and Pam Lastimosa combined to score 21 points in the win and sending Francis Vicente's side without a win for season 77.

The other women's match saw FEU took care of things against Adamson, 25-20 25-21 and 25-18, in what amounted to be a play-in game for the playoff. Head coach Shaq delos Santos said that the Lady Tamaraws were slowly gaining in confidence, especially with wins against UP and now Adamson, squads that are also in the playoff hunt.

Bernadette Pons and Remy Palma each scored twelve points in the win, while Geneveve Casugod added ten of her own.

In the men's side, the Tiger Spikers of UST secured the remaining twice-to-beat advantage still in play, defeating Ateneo in five sets, 25-15 22-25 25-23 17-25 15-13. The other game saw defending champions NU snatch the third seed in beating Adamson, 26-28 25-17 25-17 and 25-21. The Final Four matchups sees Ateneo against Adamson and UST against NU.



The final set of volleyball games in the eliminations is set to take place later today, highlighted by the women's matchup between NU and UP. The Lady Bulldogs are seeded third in the stepladder regardless of the result, but the Lady Maroons need to win in order to gain entry into a playoff for it, joining the Tigresses and the Lady Tamaraws. Otherwise, UST and FEU will joust for that final spot of the stepladder on Wednesday.

NBA to celebrate the Chinese New Year

The NBA will have something special in store for its Chinese fans this coming Chinese New Year to usher in the Year of the Goat.

NBA China CEO David Shoemaker says, "the Chinese New Year is a time of joyful family reunion and provides an occasion for us to share in the festivities by delivering the excitement of the NBA right into the homes of our fans." He adds that the league "appreciates the support of the Chinese fans."

Kicking off the activities is a Season of Giving initiative involving NBA legend Gary Payton in Fujian province that took place last January 30. Payton unveiled a basketball court that the league donated to the school. He also had a traditional Chinese New Year meal with underprivileged students in Nanping, while also having conducting a basketball clinic with Special Olympics athletes in Shanghai. He also visited the children at the NBA Yao Basketball Club. In a separate move, the league will donate 1,600 Spalding basketballs to the different provinces, autonomous regions, and special administrative zones of China.

Starting on February 19, the NBA will have twenty match-ups televised on China Central Television (CCTV). China-based fans can also watch the games on Beijing TV, BesTV, Chongqing Satellite TV, Guangdong TV, LeTV, Sina, Tencent, Elta, Fox Taiwan, Taiwan Mobile, Videoland, and Now TV Hong Kong.

On social media, the NBA and its partners American Airlines and Mengniu will have marketing initiatives to engage fans on NBACNY.com as well as the league's official accounts on Sina Weibo, Tencent, and WeChat. Fans would have the chance to win special prizes through these interactions via the "virtual red envelopes."

In the United States, the league will have two major initiatives.

First, the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets will have special edition uniforms to pay tribute to the Chinese culture. The Warriors will launch theirs in their game against the San Antonio Spurs on February 20, while it will be on February 21 for the Rockets in their game against the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors, Sacramento Kings, and the Washington Wizards will have events and activities relating to the holiday.

Second, the league will air a Chinese New Year-related commercial on February 20 during the Warriors-Spurs game on ESPN in the US. The same ad will be aired in the NBA's Chinese-related media platforms. Entitled "Surprise Door," it involves Jeremy Lin, James Harden, Stephen Curry, and Dwyane Wade paying a visit to a Chinese family to partake of the holiday and watch a NBA game together.

La Salle stymies UP XI to take first

Standings: La Salle 29 pts, FEU 27, UP 27, NU 23, Ateneo 22, UST 12, UE 4, Adamson 1.

Matches on Sunday:
(FEU-Diliman pitch)
1 p.m. – FEU vs UE (men)
3 p.m. – Ateneo vs UST (men)
(Moro Lorenzo Football Field, Ateneo)
1 p.m. – UP vs Adamson (men)
3 p.m. – La Salle vs NU (men)

La Salle moved ahead in the men's football standings heading into the final set of matches of the eliminations, securing a 3-0 victory over UP at the artificial turf of FEU-Diliman on Thursday afternoon.

Nathan Alquiros secured a brace for the Green Booters, scoring off a Yoshi Koizumi assist in the 77th minute, then made Ace Villanueva guess wrong on a penalty strike in the 84th minute.

Chuckie Uy, who had been fouled inside the area to warrant that penalty for DLSU, scored the final goal in stoppage time.

Green Booters mentor Hans Smit remarked that, "This is the best game we played." He adds that the result is a "morale-booster."

The loss drops the Maroons to a tie with FEU with 27 points.

In the earlier game, Adamson finally secured its first points since reviving the football program this season, snatching a 2-2 draw with UE.

Brian Jumo secured a goal in the 28th minute off a Jusuel Pilarca cross, then provided the assist to his twin brother Bless in the 85th minute for the Falcons, negating the two goals from Regil Galaura in the 32nd and 84th minute.

Adamson head coach Nolan Manito said that he told the team that by the end of the season, they would be able to snatch at least a draw this season.

Lady Bulldogs make women's volleyball postseason

NU officially booked its seat in the postseason for the third straight season with a tightly fought four-set victory over Adamson, 25-18 22-25 26-24 25-19.

Jaja Santiago led the way with 25 points, including six blocks, while Rizza Mandapat added 12 points and nine digs for head coach Roger Gorayeb. The duo joined forces to allow the Lady Bulldogs to pull away in the fourth set after a 7-all deadlock.

Mylene Paat and Jessica Galanza led the Lady Falcons with fifteen markers each, while Amanda Villanueva added fourteen.

In the second game, FEU forced a four-way tie for the fourth and final spot in the stepladder by defeating UP, 19-25 25-15 25-19 and 25-19.

Head coach Shaq delos Santos was pleased to see their willingness to win, noting that the skills are already there. He adds, "Malaki ang tiwala sa team ko, kahit mga bata pa yan, naniniwala ako sa kakayahan nila. Paghihirapan namin yung last game against Adamson, yun ang kailangan naming magawa."

Bernadette Pons topscored with 20 points and 11 digs, while Remy Palma netted 16, including three blocks.

The Lady Maroons, hampered by an ineffective Nicole Tiamzon all-game long, were led by Angeli Araneta and Marian Buitre, who combined for 26 points.

That spot will receive some clarity this weekend, as FEU and Adamson duke it out in one matchup, while UST (against UE) and UP (against NU) seek to muddle the picture.

On the men's side, Ateneo dispatched La Salle, 25-17 27-25 and 25-21 to guarantee itself of at least a playoff for the twice-to-beat advantage, while UST continued its course to snatch that with a 25-12 28-26 and 25-21 straight set win over UP.

UP, La Salle in huge UAAP football tiff

The last Thursday game of Season 77 men's football will guarantee a new league leader.

La Salle and UP tangle at the FEU-Diliman artificial turf in the main event for the afternoon doubleheader, coming off 2-0 victories this past weekend.

Still feeling the sting of losing Gelo Diamante to a clavicle injury, the Green Booters have somehow cobbled together a patchwork unit up front, using the likes of Chuck Uy, Christian Zubiri, Yoshi Koizumi, and even stellar defender Nico Villacin to compensate for the Davao native's absence. At 26 points, Hans Smit's side would move up to solo first with a win.

Meanwhile, UP didn't have a couple of their key defensive cogs in Kobe Ochoa and Patxi Santos for their win over UE last Saturday. As long as they do not lose, Anto Gonzales' men would move into solo first.

Opening the doubleheader will be the matchup of UE and Adamson. Already out of the postseason race, both teams seek to pursue a positive close to their season.

The two matches will be televised LIVE on Sports+Action in lieu of its normal Friday telecast due to the live coverage of the UAAP Juniors basketball finals.

Final Open Clinic for Jr. NBA & Jr. NBA set

The final Open Clinic for the 2015 season of Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA will take place on February 17, 2015 at the Casa Manila Clubhouse in Novaliches Quezon City.

Interested participants can opt to go on either the 10am to 12 nn portion or on the 2-4 portion. Either way, they would be able to partake of the program's activities aimed to get them acquainted with drills, conditioning exercises, skills stations, and most importantly, the core values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, (a positive) Attitude and Respect (STAR).

The next phase of the Jr. NBA and Jr. WNBA program will be its Regional Selection Camps, which will kick off this weekend (February 21 and 22) at the Seminario de San Jose in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

The other venues for these activities will be at the Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna (February 28 and March 1), Ateneo de Iloilo (March 7 and 8), St. Louis University in Baguio (March 14 and 15), and St. John's Institute in Bacolod (March 21 and 22). Davao will have its Regional Selection Camp on March 28 and 29 in an unspecified venue, while the PICC Forum on April 11 and 12 will be the location for Metro Manila's camp.

The outstanding participants in these RSC will then proceed to the annual National Training Camp on April 24-26. From that NTC, ten outstanding males and five outstanding females will be named as the 2015 Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA All-Stars. In addition, a coach of the year will be selected from that group.

Details on how to participate in the Jr. NBA / Jr. WNBA program are available online (www.jrnba.asia/philippines) or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/jrnbaphilippines). Important to note that the program is FREE for boys and girls in its entirety.

12 straight for Ateneo in UAAP women's volleyball

Standings   W    L
Ateneo        12   0
La Salle      11   1
Adamson     5    6
NU              5    6
UST             5    7
UP               4    7
FEU            4    7
UE              0    12

Games Saturday at the Filoil Flying V Arena:
8 a.m. – Ateneo vs FEU (men)
10 a.m. – La Salle vs UST (men)
2 p.m. – UST vs UP (women)
4 p.m. – FEU vs NU (women)

Defending champions Ateneo made history on Wednesday afternoon at the Mall of Asia Arena, as they defeated UST, 25-18 25-22 and 25-22 to remain unbeaten this season after twelve games.

Alyssa Valdez's 21 points led the charge as the Lady Eagles reached the 12-win mark in the eliminations for the first time. Amy Ahomiro and Michelle Morente combined to score 23 points, while Jia Morado contributed 33 sets.

"We are really thankful we survived this game talaga. It was very well played. Yung UST, sobrang ganda ng game nila, yung depensa nila. Ipinapakita sa amin na marami pang kailangan na mai-improve," said the reigning MVP.

Much like their win against FEU, the ladies of head coach Anusorn Bundit got some breaks due to opposing errors late, dooming them to back-to-back losses after stringing together four straight wins.

The victory, however, came with some worries, as both Aeriel Patnongon and Maddie Madayag suffered left ankle injuries, with the latter not being able to continue. Valdez herself also had her wrist taped a bit after getting a knock while hustling for a ball. In a positive note, Bea de Leon was suited up to play, although the rookie's services was not needed for this one.

In the other women's match, La Salle continued their impressive form with a 25-6 25-17 and 25-17 victory over winless UE. Ara Galang and Mika Reyes led the Lady Spikers with ten markers apiece.

For last season's finals participants, yesterday marked the first day of their cramped schedule, to be capped off by their much anticipated second round meeting on February 18.

Earlier, the postseason cast for men's volleyball was officially set, after defending champions National University eliminated Far Eastern University, 25-13 25-23 25-23. Adamson had officially booked its seat after dispatching a winless UE side, 25-16 25-15 and 25-20.

La Salle snaps UST streak, Ateneo keeps winning run going in UAAP volleyball

Standings  W   L
Ateneo       11   0
La Salle     10    1
UST           5    6
UP             4    6
Adamson    4    6
NU             4    6
FEU           4    7
UE              0    10

Games Saturday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum:

8 a.m. – UE vs UST (men)
10 a.m. – UP vs Ateneo (men)
2 p.m. – UE vs NU (women)
4 p.m. – UP vs Adamson (women)

La Salle clinched the other twice-to-beat advantage in UAAP women's volleyball yesterday, as they stopped UST's four-game winning streak, 25-21 25-9 and 25-18, at the Filoil Flying V Arena.

Ara Galang scored 17 points, while Cyd Demecillo added twelve in the straight sets win, their tenth in eleven games this season.

Head coach Ramil de Jesus praised the performance of the Lady Spikers, saying that "Siguro, maganda lang inilaro ng mga bata at na-execute yung iniaral nila sa scouting."

Said scouting paid off, as they limited UST mainstays EJ Laure, Pam Lastimosa, and Ria Meneses to six points each, with Carmela Tunay held to only three markers.

The loss dropped the Tigresses to a 5-6 record, but still allowed them to keep solo third

The other women's match saw Ateneo maintain its unblemished record with a 25-23 25-21 25-23 win over FEU.

The Lady Tams had a chance to snatch an advantage in the third set, but were done in by consecutive errors from Toni Rose Basas and Kyle Negrito.

Playing their first game without Bea de Leon, the Lady Eagles collectively filled the gap mainly by plugging Maddie Madayag into that hole. The rookie netted four points in her first start for the team.

It had been announced that de Leon will be out for 4-6 weeks due to an index finger injury. According to Alyssa Valdez, the team had to adjust to not having Bea and "we were glad we were able to survive this game."

Valdez finished with 23 points and seven digs to lead the defending champions, while Amy Ahomiro added 13 markers, including five service aces.

The Lady Tamaraws dropped to 4-7 with the loss, with Bernadette Pons contributing thirteen points and Jerrili Malabanan adding nine.

In the men's division, upsets prevailed, with FEU defeating Adamson, 22-25, 25-21, 25-22, and 25-23. The Green Spikers of La Salle, already eliminated in the Final Four race at 3-8, issued a third straight loss for National University, hacking out a 26-24, 25-19, and 25-22 win to the defending champions.

Philippine women's basketball team tryouts slated

Tryouts are already underway for the senior women's national basketball team.

Under the auspices of the newly-minted head coach Patrick Aquino, the tryouts are being held at the 3rd floor of the SGS Building (1335 Araneta Ave., Brgy. Sto. Domingo, QC), with the initial schedule being from 5-7pm on February 4, 7, 9-11.

Those who were part of the national pool under the leadership of Haydee Ong are already automatically included in the current iteration.

Interested parties can contact 0917-8686234 for more details.

Aquino, who is also the mentor for the National University women's team, plans on trimming down the initial pool to just twenty players before making the final cut of twelve ladies for the SEABA and SEA Games later this year. To prepare for these two tournaments, the team will have some tuneup matches in Thailand in late March to early April.

NBA now on LINE

NBA and LINE in cahoots

On Wednesday, the NBA and Line Corporation (the company behind the communications app LINE), entered into a digital content partnership, enabling the league to be the first among the major American professional sports leagues to have account on LINE.

Using the account @nba_global, the NBA can send real-time news updates and information towards those connected to as it as "friends." LINE will also make available NBA-themed LINE stickers for fans who use the app to share with their fellow users.

LINE CEO Akira Morikawa was pleased to announce this partnership, seeing this as a means to expand its user base, while for NBA Asia Managing Director Scott Levy, he sees this as another way for the league to reach out to its tech-savvy fans worldwide.

Since being launched in 2011, LINE now has a reach of more than 181 million monthly active users spread over 230 countries and regions. The free messaging app offers one-to-one and group messaging, as well as domestic and international voice and video calls. It also has additional elements like stickers, a personal Home, a Timeline, and numerous LINE family apps, including LINE games and LINE camera.

Streaking UST, La Salle clash in UAAP women's volleyball

Standings  W   L
Ateneo      10   0
La Salle     9    1
UST           5    5
UP             4    6
FEU           4    6
Adamson   4    6
NU             4    6
UE             0    10

Games today at the Filoil Flying V Arena:

8 a.m. – Adamson vs FEU (men)
10 a.m. – NU vs La Salle (men)
2 p.m. – FEU vs Ateneo (women)
4 p.m. – La Salle vs UST (women)

Two streaking teams battle it out at the Filoil Flying Arena later today, with La Salle facing off against UST at 4pm.

The Tigresses have racked off four straight wins to rise from seventh to solo third in the standings, aiming to extend that winning run and also secure some breathing room in their quest to secure a spot in the postseason.

To secure that sought-after breathing room, however, UST will have to deal with last year's finalists in back-to-back games, starting today against the Lady Spikers and next week against Ateneo.

Head coach Odjie Mamon sees this matchup against La Salle as a chance to gauge their improvement from their struggles earlier in the season. Their first round meeting ended in DLSU's favor, 25-23 27-25 and 25-17.

As for La Salle, a win here would ensure them a twice-to-beat advantage in the postseason. Head coach Ramil de Jesus remains cautious, saying that "UST is peaking right now. So ganoon, kailangang paghandaan."

The other women's match involves the defending champions playing their first game without Bea de Leon. The rookie suffered a broken index finger during practice and will be sidelined for around four to six weeks.

The Lady Eagles will be a huge test for the Lady Tamaraws, as they try to get themselves a leg up in the logjam for the final two postseason slots still in play.

Also taking place this morning is the men's division, with NU and Adamson seeking to get themselves closer to earning postseason berths against separate opposition.

UAAP high school basketball postseason cast finalized

Ateneo closed out its eliminations campaign at the UAAP in dominating fashion, as the Blue Eaglets routed the National University Bullpups, 76-49, inside the Blue Eagle Gym this past Saturday afternoon.

Mike Nieto showed why he is poised to be named as the MVP, scoring 29 points and grabbing ten rebounds. The senior nearly matched the defending champions' team output in scoring in the first quarter, netting himself twelve points to give the Eaglets a 25-13 lead after ten minutes.

Lorenzo Joson added ten points, eight of which came in the second period, as they continued to pull even further away to erect a 47-29 lead.

Nieto ensure no attempted comeback will take place, outscoring the Bullpups 13-10 in the final ten minutes. 

The victory completes a 14-0 eliminations for last season's losing finalists, a feat that earns them an automatic return trip and its accompanying thrice-to-beat advantage.

With Ateneo's sweep, the stepladder format will be invoked into action, but the official matchups will only be sorted out once a playoff game will be played first.

Adamson and La Salle-Zobel ensured that said playoff will happen after dispatching their respective opponents in contrasting fashion.

The Baby Falcons rode on Gerald Fernandez, Miguel Sasuman, Frederick Tungcab, and James Pasturan to defeat UST, 76-67, securing their first postseason since 2008. The foursome finished with a combined fifty points and twenty rebounds.

Adamson ran over the Tiger Cubs in the first quarter, forcing the also-ran side to 16 turnovers leading to seventeen points and a 31-7 lead at the end of the period. UST tried to come back in the fourth quarter through the efforts of Patrick Lapena and a defense that forced the Baby Falcons to go 2/14 from the field, but the lead proved to be too massive to overcome.

On the other hand, the Junior Archers survived their virtual-playoff against Far Eastern University, 60-58, to open the scheduled quadruple-header.

Aljun Melencio made two free throws with 8.5 second remaining to provide Zobel with a 59-55 lead. Brandrey Bienes managed to cut the lead to just one with around five seconds left, but Miguel Cabarrus made the first free throw and missed the second for the final score. Ricky Peromingan would then miss his desperation heave that could have been the game-winning shot for the Baby Tams.

Melencio finished with fourteen points, five rebounds, two assists, and five steals. Joaquin Banzon led all scorers with eighteen points on 8/12 shooting, while Marvin Lee topscored for FEU with 16 points.

In the lone non-bearing game of the day, the UE Junior Warriors finished the season winless after bowing to UPIS, 93-65.

Adamson and La Salle-Zobel's wins, coupled with NU's loss, means that a triple tie was forged involving the three teams at 9-5. To break the tie and determine the stepladder match-ups, the two teams with the superior quotient (Adamson and NU) will face off on Tuesday afternoon, with the winner taking a twice-to-beat advantage and the second seed, while the loser will be tagged as the third seed and will face the Junior Archers in a sudden-death game to kick off the postseason officially on Thursday.