UP Fighting Maroons Dominate Ateneo Blue Eagles 94-75 in UAAP Rivalry Clash

The UP Fighting Maroons delivered one of their most complete performances of the UAAP season on Saturday, September 19, 2026, dismantling the Ateneo Blue Eagles 94-75 in front of a packed SM Mall of Asia Arena crowd. In the latest chapter of the Battle of Katipunan, UP led from the opening quarter, stretched the margin past 20 points in the third period, and never allowed Ateneo to mount a serious comeback in the final ten minutes.

The 19-point winning margin matched the Maroons' largest victory over their Katipunan neighbors in recent seasons and pushed UP firmly into the upper half of the UAAP standings, while Ateneo was left searching for answers after a second straight defeat.

Match Overview

• Final score: UP Fighting Maroons 94, Ateneo Blue Eagles 75
• Competition: UAAP Season 89 men's basketball
• Venue: SM Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay City
• Date: September 19, 2026
• Quarter scores: UP 24-21-26-23 (94) | Ateneo 16-20-17-22 (75)
• Halftime: UP 45, Ateneo 36

It was a wire-to-wire result. UP scored the game's first seven points, forced Ateneo into three turnovers inside the opening three minutes, and controlled the tempo from the opening tip. The Blue Eagles briefly trimmed the deficit to five in the second quarter, but a late UP run restored a nine-point halftime cushion and set the tone for the blowout that followed.

Key Moments

The game turned in the third quarter. Leading 45-36 at the break, UP opened the second half with a 12-2 burst capped by a transition dunk that pushed the lead to 57-38 and emptied the Ateneo bench into a timeout. The Maroons outscored the Blue Eagles 26-17 in that period, doing most of their damage in the open court after long defensive rebounds and live-ball turnovers.

Ateneo's best stretch came early in the fourth, when back-to-back three-pointers cut the deficit to 13 with just over seven minutes left. UP answered immediately with a 9-0 run of its own, and from there the Maroons slowed the game down, worked the shot clock, and closed out the win at the free-throw line.

Standout Players

Harold Alarcon led all scorers with 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting, adding five rebounds and four assists in a performance that showcased his ability to score at all three levels. Francis Lopez was a force inside with 18 points and 11 rebounds, repeatedly beating the Ateneo frontline on the offensive glass.

Gerry Abadiano added 15 points and six assists while committing only one turnover, and Quentin Millora-Brown chipped in 10 points and nine boards in the paint. Off the bench, Reyland Torres gave UP 12 points in 18 minutes of high-energy play.

For Ateneo, Jared Bahay was the lone bright spot with 21 points, four rebounds, and five assists against his former program. Chris Koon finished with 13 points, while Lebron Nieto added 11. No other Blue Eagle reached double figures, a reflection of how thoroughly UP disrupted Ateneo's half-court offense.

Tactical Story

The game was decided on two fronts: perimeter defense and rebounding.

• Three-point shooting: UP connected on 11-of-28 attempts from beyond the arc (39 percent), while Ateneo managed just 7-of-27 (26 percent).
• Field-goal percentage: The Maroons shot 48 percent from the field compared to Ateneo's 38 percent.
• Rebounds: UP won the battle on the boards 46-33, including 15 offensive rebounds that produced 18 second-chance points.
• Turnovers: Ateneo coughed the ball up 16 times, leading to 21 UP points in transition.

UP's defensive scheme was simple but effective: hedge hard on Ateneo's ball screens, force Bahay to give up the ball early, and dare the Blue Eagles' supporting cast to beat them from the outside. Ateneo's role players could not answer, and without a reliable second scorer the offense stalled repeatedly in the half court.

Season Impact and Standings Context

The result carries real weight in the UAAP Season 89 race. UP improves its record and strengthens its case for a top-two finish and the twice-to-beat advantage that comes with it in the Final Four. The Maroons have now won three of their last four outings and appear to be peaking at the right time.

Ateneo, meanwhile, slips further down the standings and now faces a demanding stretch of fixtures that will test its Final Four credentials. The Blue Eagles remain mathematically in the hunt for a playoff spot, but their margin for error is shri