Season 88 of the UAAP Men’s Basketball Tournament has been nothing short of action-packed, and the Ateneo Blue Eagles are arguably the biggest surprise of the season thus far.
Fresh off their worst finish in the Final Four era last season with a dismal 4-10 record, the 12-time champions retooled their roster with the additions of one-and-done standouts Kymani Ladi, Jaden Lazo, and Dominic Escobar.
From Disappointing Season to Contender: Ateneo’s Road Back with Ladi
Of those three names, it is already evident that Ladi will be the most important piece to the Blue Eagles’ hopes of success this season, which they hope will culminate in, at the very least, a Final Four appearance.
The 6-foot-8 wing from Vallejo, California, announced his arrival in the UAAP with a 26-point, nine-rebound showing to power the Blue Eagles to an 86-83 victory in overtime. Ladi followed that performance with a double-double showing against the UE Red Warriors on September 24.
Most recently, Ladi proved his value as a do-it-all forward for Ateneo with a stat line of 14 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block to beat the formidable Adamson Soaring Falcons, 77-58, this past Sunday, September 28.
Taking into consideration that the DLSU Green Archers and UP Fighting Maroons, the last two kings of the UAAP Men’s Basketball Tournament, look mortal this season, glory is there for the Blue Eagles to take.
However, most of their success will likely depend on how much of the load Ladi is ready to carry. There are clear and concrete signs that he’s prepared to do so based solely on the first three games of the season.
Their most important stretch of games will begin on Sunday, October 5. On that day, they will go toe-to-toe with the well-rounded Green Archers powered by Kean Baclaan, Jacob Cortez, and Mike Phillips, who is raring to close out his college career with another chip.
Then, on October 8, will be the “Battle of Katipunan” as Ateneo clashes with the UP Fighting Maroons, who earned their first win of the season with a 92-75 demolition of the Red Warriors thanks to Rey Remogat’s 21-point outing.
To close out the first round, the Blue Eagles have a must-watch showdown with the UST Growling Tigers and NU Bulldogs on October 11 and 18, respectively.
That’s a murderer’s row of teams, though it can be argued that momentum is on Ateneo’s side.
With Ladi leading the charge, Jared Bahay finding his groove as the lead point guard, Divine Adili quickly improving his game, and a talented supporting cast, the Blue Eagles have everything they need to shock the UAAP.
