UAAP Season 84 Men’s Basketball
Ateneo forced a rubber match in the Finals. Ateneo de Manila University survived the University of the Philippines’ comeback attempt, 69-66, to force a winner-take-all match. Ange Kouame lifted the Blue Eagles with 14 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 blocks, while Tyler Tio scored 14 points. For the Fighting Maroons, top rookie Carl Tamayo finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
📷 : Tiebreaker Times
Kouame bagged MVP, and Tamayo earned ROY. Naturalized Filipino Ange Kouame is the Most Valuable Player of Season 84 after leading Ateneo de Manila University to a 13-1 record in the eliminations while averaging 12.9 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. The Rookie of the Year award went to Carl Tamayo who averaged 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game for the University of the Philippines.
Positionless Mythical Team. UAAP released the All-UAAP team which comprises five frontcourt players. Ange Kouame of Ateneo de Manila University led the statistical points race with 69.21. De La Salle University’s Justine Baltazar and the University of the Philippines’ Zavier Lucero went two and three with 63.00 and 62.00 SPs, respectively. Rookies Carl Tamayo (UP, 57.64 SP) and Michael Phillips (DLSU, 54.64) completed the mythical team. Phillips finished sixth in the race—tied with Emman Ojuola of Far Eastern University—and behind Malick Diouf of UP. The league only allows one foreign student-athlete and the slot was taken by the naturalized Filipino Kouame.
📷 : UAAP Photo
NCAA Season 97 Men’s Basketball
Battle of Intramuros in the Finals. Mapua University ended San Beda University’s 14-season finals streak with a 70-67 victory. Cardinals waited for 31 years to be back in the Finals—to face the undefeated Colegio de San Juan de Letran.
📷 : GMA / Isaiah Cua
Southeast Asian Games
The flag bearer of the Philippines. Filipino Olympian pole vaulter EJ Obiena is the country’s flag bearer for the 31st Southeast Asian Games.
📷 : Philippine Sports Commission
Philippine Men’s Beach Handball Team won a silver medal. The Philippines finished second—an improvement from a bronze-medal finish in 2019—in the men’s beach handball event. They held a 3-1 win-loss record, only losing to the home team and reigning gold medalist Vietnam.
Filipinas had a strong start but fell short against Vietnam. Philippine Women’s Football team demolished Cambodia, 5-0, in their opening game. Isabella Flanigan scored the first goal in the 27th minute. Sarina Bolden and Eva Madarang scored the next two goals in the 64th and 68th minutes. Quinley Quezeda and Annicka Castañeda had the last two goals in the 76th and 80th minutes, respectively. In the next game, the Filipinas failed to hold on to a one-goal advantage after bowing to defending SEA Games champion Vietnam, 1-2. Tahnai Annis scored the only goal by the Philippines in the 15th minute. Vietnamese countered with two goals in the 38th and 50th minutes to seal the victory.
Azkals suffered their first loss in SEA Games. After frustrating the home team and defending champions Vietnam to 0-0, the Philippine Men’s Football team had a 2-3 meltdown against Myanmar. Jovic Bedic scored all the goals for the Filipinos—a header in the 34th minute and converted a penalty kick in the 38th minute.
UAAP Season 84 Women’s Volleyball
UP, NU stayed unbeaten in three games. University of Santo Tomas star Eya Laure’s 28 points went to naught after suffering a four-set defeat against the University of the Philippines. National University swept De La Salle University to continue their strong start in this season.
Adamson, FEU got their first win. Adamson University won in four sets against skidding and defending champions Ateneo de Manila University. Far Eastern University ended the game with a 10-2 rally to close out the University of the East in their five-set victory.
Undefeated NU took the solo lead. National University easily rolled to its fourth straight victory after demolishing the University of the East in three sets. Sheena Toring and Ivy Lacsina scored 13 apiece.
Laure starred for UST. Eya Laure scored another tournament-high 28 points to carry the University of Santo Tomas over De La Salle University in a five-set thriller.
Eagles flew, Falcons soared. Defending champions Ateneo de Manila University swept Far Eastern University to take their first victory in their first four games. Adamson University delivered the University of the Philippines’ first loss via a four-set victory.
Miscellaneous
Sotto has a dozen of scheduled workouts with NBA teams. New York Times contributor Adam Zagoria reported that Kai Sotto will take part in workouts with National Basketball Association teams ahead of the draft. The Filipino big man was 100th overall—11th in the Center spot—in ESPN’s Top 100 NBA Draft prospects, although his name has yet to show up on most mock drafts.
Williams won the NBA Coach of the Year award. Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams beat Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and the Filipino-American Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra for the Red Auerback Trophy.
Back-to-back MVP. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was named NBA Most Valuable Player. The 27-year-old led the Nuggets to sixth place in the Western Conference while averaging 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists.
Baltazar chose Japan B.League over PBA. De La Salle University big man Justine Baltazar has withdrawn from the PBA Rookie Draft. The three-time UAAP Mythical Team member is set to play in Japan B.League instead. PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said, “Baltazar is welcome to join the PBA after his commitment in Japan.”
Nueva Ecija won Filbasket crown. Nueva Ecija Capitals pulled a nail-biting overtime victory against San Juan Knights, 90-88, in Game Three of the Filbasket 2022 Summer Championship. Finals MVP Mike Juico finished with 17 points and 9 rebounds.