Hoops action in UAAP Season 88 got underway over the weekend with all eight teams making their debut. The Ateneo Blue Eagles, led by Kymani Ladi, were among the early winners, along with the UST Growling Tigers and their mammoth foreign student-athlete (FSA) Collins Akowe, who dominated the defending champs with a sterling debut.
Now, this might be too early, but those first four games may have hinted at a few things moving forward. First and foremost, the action in the first two days of UAAP basketball suggests this will be one thrill ride all season long, with twists and turns along the way, a few surprises here and there, and great games most times. It also showed there are plenty of emerging stars—across all teams at that—that will make UAAP Season 88 basketball even more exciting.
Ateneo’s Kymani Ladi and Jared Bahay Are the Real Deal
Much has been said about Jared Bahay, who is supposedly one of the Philippines’ best point guard prospects at the amateur level. After a somewhat uneven first three quarters in his official Ateneo debut, Bahay proved as much, taking over in the fourth quarter and overtime to help the Blue Eagles fend off FEU.
Bahay was good as advertised, scoring 7 of his 13 points in overtime—including back-to-back triples with Ateneo down by six. He added 5 assists, 3 rebounds, and 4 steals, but it was his performance under pressure that really stood out. Put simply, Bahay’s late-game takeover suggests someone who isn’t afraid of the moment, and that should only bode well for Ateneo’s playoff hopes.
Bahay, though, won’t be carrying the load all by himself. His teammate, the highly touted Kymani Ladi, showed he’s not just hype but the real deal, putting up 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 dimes against FEU. An athletic, smooth-moving 6-foot-8 forward, Ladi was polished, patient, and at times phenomenal versus the Tamaraws, and it looks like there’s another gear or two left in him. In short, Kymani Ladi might just be one of the season’s best when all is said and done.
FEU’s Janrey Pasaol and Jorick Bautista Are Talented and Fun to Watch
That the Tamaraws very nearly upended the Blue Eagles is a credit to their talented and fun-to-watch backcourt of Janrey Pasaol and Jorick Bautista.
Bautista, once the understudy to RJ Abarrientos and L-Jay Gonzales, is now one of FEU’s main men, and he delivered against Ateneo, matching Bahay in the endgame and sending the game to overtime. Pasaol, who showed flashes of brilliance last year, was just as sensational, doing it all for the Tamaraws from the get-go to the final buzzer.
Pasaol nearly registered a triple-double against Ateneo, putting up 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 11 assists in a heroic effort. Bautista, on the other hand, finished with 24 markers. Both Pasaol and Bautista were sensational, they were fearless, and they were doing it all for FEU. And they look ready to carry the fight—and also put on a spectacular show—for the Tamaraws this season.
UST’s Collins Akowe Will Be a Handful All Season
The consensus coming into Season 88 was that La Salle’s Mike Phillips is the undisputed big man of the league. He probably will still be, but he will have stiff competition from UST’s Collins Akowe.
Akowe had a dominant debut, dropping 29 points, 17 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block to help the Growling Tigers overpower the Fighting Maroons. The Junior’s MVP of Season 86 wasn’t flashy, but he was effective and efficient, a workhorse with a workmanlike showing. With playmakers like Forthsky Padrigao and Kyle Paranada around him, that’s all Akowe needs to do—control the paint and play big on both ends. He did so against the defending champs. It looks like he can do the same against other teams.
Adamson’s Cedrick Manzano Looks Primed for a True Breakout
Finally, despite an opening-day loss to La Salle, Adamson might have something to look forward to this Season 88: the true emergence of center Cedrick Manzano. The Romblon native top-scored for the Falcons in that near upset with 19 points on top of 9 rebounds but needed some more support.
Manzano will have to get used to doing the heavy lifting this season as Adamson is by and large parading a young lineup. But it looks like the 6-foot-5 center is more than capable of doing exactly that as evidenced by his strong outing against Phillips. A cause for optimism, in particular, is Manzano looking more comfortable facing up and making plays farther away from the basket. This added wrinkle should only make Manzano more dangerous and harder to guard moving forward.
First Impressions Postscript
Indeed, Kymani Ladi, Jared Bahay, Jorick Bautista, Janrey Pasaol, Collins Akowe, and Cedrick Manzano are poised to become Season 88’s leading men for their respective teams—and among the faces of UAAP hoops in general. But other players showed out, too, in the league’s opening weekend.
Jaycob Cortez looked like a star-in-the-making for La Salle, making big play after big play in the Green Archers’ escape act against the Falcons. Dom Escobar, another one of Ateneo’s one-and-done recruits, looks like a gem as well—polished, sure-handed, and highly skilled just like Ladi.
Finally, veteran Jake Figueroa of the NU Bulldogs appears poised for his best season yet. The usually reserved forward looked more aggressive and assertive in the Bulldogs’ win over the Warriors, and the numbers—16 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks—bear that out.
All this talent—and believe us when we tell you, there’s more—means UAAP Season 88 is must-see TV for hoops heads and casual fans alike. So, sit back and enjoy the show!
