13 Sep Comebacks, clutch plays highlight UAAP Season 89 opening weekend
Comebacks and clutch plays took center stage as Adamson, DLSU, and UP opened their UAAP Season 89 campaigns with victories.
The Adamson Soaring Falcons started their Season 89 campaign on a high note, overcoming a 13-point deficit to edge the FEU Tamaraws, 56-53.
FEU controlled most of the game and led 46-33 late in the third quarter, but Adamson mounted a decisive fourth-quarter comeback behind Matthew Montebon, Matthew Erolon, Precious Jonah, and Mat Edding.
The Falcons took a 54-51 lead with 2:08 remaining before FEU rookie Cabs Cabonillas answered with a basket to cut the deficit to one. Erolon responded with a jumper to restore a three-point advantage, while Kirby Mongcopa’s last-second attempt to force overtime was well-defended.
“We’re just very thankful that we were able to get the win. It’s a tough battle every time we play FEU. They really made it hard for us also,” said Adamson head coach Nash Racela.
Montebon led Adamson with 18 points and four steals, while Jonah added a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds.
The defending champions DLSU Green Archers also survived a late scare, holding off the NU Bulldogs, 89-87, to begin their title-defense campaign with a win.
DLSU built a 14-point advantage in the second quarter, only for NU to answer with a late run. Reinhard Jumamoy, Kenshin Padrones, and Tebol Garcia spearheaded the Bulldogs’ fightback before rookie Joaquin Tovera took over in the third, scoring 10 of his 22 points in the frame to help the Archers regain control.
NU continued to threaten in the fourth, cutting the deficit to one, 88-87, but Doy Dungo’s three-pointer and a crucial rebound by Mason Amos helped DLSU hold on. Amos split his free throws with five seconds left, giving NU one final chance, but PJ Palacielo’s last-second jumper fell short.
“At first I was nervous, but when I stepped on the court, I just wanna show what I have,” said Tovera, who finished with 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting.
Dungo, meanwhile, is balancing his UAAP campaign with preparations for his national-team duties in 3×3 basketball alongside teammate Luis Pablo.
“Pinagsasabay lang namin ni Pabs. Pagkatapos ng practice namin, diretso kami sa practice ng Gilas. Hindi naman lahat ng players nabibigyan ng opportunity to represent the country,” said Doy Dungo.
Pablo added 16 points and six rebounds, while Dungo chipped in 12 points.
The duo will represent the Philippines in the 3×3 basketball tournament at the 2026 Asian Games.
In the final game of the day, the UP Fighting Maroons completed a second-half comeback, defeating the UST Growling Tigers 92-85.
UP led by as many as 10 in the second quarter before UST answered with a 13-0 run to take a 48-44 halftime lead. The Maroons regained momentum after the break, with Gani Stevens, Rainier Maga, Arvie Poyos, and Veejay Pre helping UP reclaim the lead, 66-62, heading into the final frame.
Rey Remogat then delivered when it mattered most, knocking down back-to-back triples late in the fourth to extend UP’s lead to 88-77. Despite a late push from Amiel Acido and Mark Llemit, the Maroons held firm to close out opening weekend with a victory.
“Marami pa ring kailangang i-improve as a team,” said Remogat, who finished as the player of the game despite shooting just 3-of-13 from the field.
With all three games showcasing late-game resilience and composure, opening weekend offered an early glimpse of the competitiveness expected in Season 89.
Adamson, DLSU, and UP will look to build on their winning starts, while FEU, NU, and UST will seek their first victories in their respective next games.