MANILA, Philippines – After a brief lull, the Battle of Katipunan regains its relevance in UAAP males’s basketball as defending champion UP takes on shock Season 88 undefeated squad Ateneo on the Mall of Asia Enviornment on Wednesday, October 8.

Contemporary off a nerve-wracking denial of rival La Salle’s huge fourth-quarter comeback rally from down 33, the Blue Eagles put their surprising 4-0 document on the road in an try to shortly surpass their Season 87 last-place document of 4-10 — an 18-year low.

In the meantime, the Combating Maroons are coming off a rally of their very own: a surprising 24-3 second-half lockdown that put them at a fair 2-2 slate from a 0-2 begin and despatched the NU Bulldogs to their first season loss after a 3-0 standings romp.

Although he wants no reminder, Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin is absolutely conscious of the complete capabilities of a locked-in UP squad — one which has given him a number of hassle since its surge again to contender standing in 2019.

“They’re a very, actually good staff. However, you understand, NU actually had them on the ropes,” Baldwin mentioned. “It’s going to be, you understand, two groups — UP preventing to get again into the place they know that they belong, again into the highest 4 and high 4 competition, and us attempting to carry on to a very excellent begin to the season.

“So each groups are enjoying for lots, however I feel that’s just about at all times the case early within the season.”

Not like seasons previous, Ateneo now boasts succesful reinforcements in its midst, with one-and-done stars Kymani Ladi and Dom Escobar quickly making their names recognized alongside key holdovers like Jared Bahay, Joshua Lazaro and Shawn Tuano.

For a UP facet led by the likes of Francis Nnoruka and Noy Remogat, it’s enterprise as typical, as it’s extra centered on gaining a successful document for the primary time this season as an alternative of worrying about rivals and historic conferences.

“It’s the identical strategy, no matter who we’re enjoying. Ateneo can be the one remaining staff unbeaten. However for us, it doesn’t matter if it’s Ateneo or one other staff, we’ve time to arrange,” mentioned Maroons assistant coach Christian Luanzon.

“We’re going to present them a battle and hopefully by Wednesday, everybody can be wholesome and able to go.”

For the primary time in a 12 months, the boys’s basketball Battle of Katipunan holds weight near earlier championship-caliber encounters, and followers will definitely be clear winners following the 5 pm tipoff. — Rappler.com