WITH perfect records at stake, the National University (NU) Bulldogs and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers are set to collide for early-season supremacy, both aiming to keep their winning streaks alive.
Inside the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion, UAAP fans will witness a high-stakes clash where one streak lives on—and the other ends. A storyline set to headline Wednesday’s men’s basketball main event.
Currently, it’s the Ateneo Blue Eagles who sit atop the leaderboard with a 3-0 win-loss record, while Bulldogs and Growling Tigers follow close behind, each carrying an unblemished 2-0 slate.
Though the two teams share the same record, the paths they took to get there tell very different stories. Still, with a record on the line, fans can expect a thrilling showdown between two of the hottest teams in the league.
Dark Horse to Contender?
Following a third-place finish in Season 87, UST turned heads last week by defeating both of last year’s finalists — the UP Fighting Maroons (87-67) and the DLSU Green Archers (93-84) — consecutively.
At the center of their impressive start is Collins Akowe, recently named the season’s first Collegiate Press Corps Player of the Week, putting up dominant averages with 24.5 PPG and 18 RPG.
With the spotlight now on UST, the graduating Forthsky Padrigao, who debuted Saturday against DLSU, was quick to temper the hype, saying it’s far too early to celebrate with plenty of basketball still ahead.
“We’re glad that we’re progressing, but mahaba pa yung season. It’s just the first two games, and lahat ng teams ngayon mas magagaling na,” the one-time UAAP champion guard stressed.
Collective Effort
Much like the Growling Tigers, NU kicked off their season strong, showing they’re not to be taken lightly by convincingly defeating their Recto rivals — the UE Red Warriors (72-57) and the FEU Tamaraws (84-68).
Leading them is Jake Figueroa, who’s posting solid numbers with averages of 14.5 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 4.0 APG per game. Still, head coach Jeff Napa stressed that it’s been the collective team effort driving their early success.
“Number one syempre ‘yung consistency namin. ‘Yung approach namin day in, day out,” Napa said. “Laging kong sinasabi na it’s all about the effort eh. Kung paano kami magiging consistent with our effort.”
“[We need to] stay sharp and positive, kasi hindi naman biro ‘yung mga paparating namin na laban. We need to stay ready and healthy, para at least magawa talaga namin ‘yung mga gusto naming gawin,” he added.
Something’s Got to Give
With both teams coming off big victories, their upcoming showdown is all about setting the pace for the rest of the season — a win here could distinguish a legitimate contender from a squad still trying to find its identity.
For UST, it’s a chance to prove their hot start is no fluke. For NU, an opportunity to show that consistency and teamwork can trump hype. Either way, expect fireworks when the Bulldogs and Growling Tigers finally collide.
Prior to that, the DLSU Green Archers will first face the win-hungry FEU Tamaraws at 2:00 p.m., setting the stage for the marquee matchup between NU and UST at 4:30 p.m., all happening on the host’s home court.
