Shawn Tuano steps up big for Ateneo against rival La Salle on October 5, 2025. UAAP Media
MANILA (UPDATED) — Ateneo de Manila University survived a gritty De La Salle University side, 81-74, in the UAAP Season 88 men's basketball tournament, witnessed by more than 17,000 fans on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Blue Eagles, who finished dead last in Season 87 at 4-10, had already tied their win output this time around in just four games, staying perfect at the expense of their archrival from Taft.
They now hold solo lead in the standings (4-0), while the Green Archers dropped to 2-2 win-loss card, mirroring the record of the defending champions, UP Fighting Maroons.
This win also ended the Katipunan cagers' two-year drought against La Salle, which spanned three games in head-to-head matches, as the last time the Blue Eagles won against them was in October 2023.
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They claimed the victory, but not without a fightback from last season's runners-up.
The Green Archers, in a stunning rally to turn things around, unleashed a massive 22-0 run from the 68-35 count in the earlier part of the fourth quarter to close in at 68-57, 3:54 left.
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But Shawn Tuano was there to end the Blue Eagles' drought, stepping up as he fired nine markers — all under the last four minutes — to fuel their drive and stop Ateneo in their tracks.
Jacob Cortez had a chance late to put La Salle within six from the 77-68 mark, after he was fouled on a trey attempt, but only converted one, 45 ticks left.
La Salle still went as close as five at 77-72 and 79-74, after Ej Gollena and Mike Phillips' makes, but Andrew Bongo and Shawn Tuano made their freebies to finally complete an escape—which originally seemed to be a dominant win for the Blue Eagles.
“Obviously, full credit to La Salle and the comeback they made in the fourth quarter,” said coach Tab Baldwin.
"I think we have a choice to talk about three quarters of basketball or one quarter, and we’ll do both in the confines of our dugout and our next practice.
"We’ll talk about that the way we played in the three quarters is just about as good as an Ateneo team has played for me I think, and that’s a big statement. And then in the fourth quarter, we played about as badly as an Ateneo team has played for me. Fortunately, it was only one quarter," he added.
Dom Escobar finished with 15 points, listed all in the first half, to go with nine rebounds, as Tuano and Kymani Ladi also concluded with 15 points.
La Salle captain Mike Phillips tallied 17 points, 20 rebounds, and six assists for the losing cause, and Kean Baclaan had 13 markers, although made on 5-of-16 shooting, to go along with seven boards.
The Scores:
Ateneo (81) – Ladi 15, Escobar 15, Tuano 15, Lazaro 9, Espinosa 8, Espina 7, Bongo 4, Bahay 3, Adili 2, Lazo 2, L. Fjellvang 1.
DLSU (74) – Phillips 17, Baclaan 13, Cortez 10, Gollena 7, Amos 6, Pablo 5, Dungo 5, Daep 4, Abadam 3, Gomez 2, Marasigan 2, Quines 0.
Quarterscores: 14-11, 36-19, 68-38, 81-74