UE JR WARRIORS EDGE CLOSER TO UAAP JUNIOR BASKETBALL ELIMINATION SWEEP
The UE Junior Warriors are just two wins away from completing a historic elimination sweep in the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Tournament, following a commanding 95-65 victory over the UPIS Fighting Maroons on Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The win marks UE’s 12th consecutive triumph, solidifying their dominance in the league with an average winning margin of 19 points per game. However, their road to perfection faces tough hurdles ahead as they prepare for matchups against Adamson University and FEU-D in the final stretch.
“Hindi pwede na may slow starts kami ‘eh. Dapat we have to play consistent as I’ve said. We’re in the latter part of the season and everything should be taken into consideration na small mistakes would lead you to losing. We just have to play consistent kasi all the teams will fight for their lives to beat us,” UE head coach Andrew Estrella said, emphasizing the need for focus and consistency.
The Junior Warriors relied on a balanced team effort to put away the Fighting Maroons. Mav Mesina, Enrico Bungar, Ethan Oraa, and Jolo Pascual powered a decisive 12-5 run late in the second quarter, stretching a narrow 33-26 lead into a more comfortable 45-31 halftime advantage.
Although UPIS managed to cut the deficit to just eight points in the third quarter, UE quickly extinguished their hopes with a game-breaking 27-4 run at the start of the final period. The surge gave the Junior Warriors their largest lead of the game at 95-62, ensuring the victory and further asserting their dominance.
Neil Garcia spearheaded UE’s balanced offensive attack, leading five players in double figures with 16 points on an efficient 7-of-8 shooting performance. He also added four rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Pascual made his presence felt on both ends of the court, contributing 12 points, six steals, and five assists, while Bungar added 12 points and six rebounds.
Kiefer Panganiban chipped in with 11 points, four assists, three steals, and two boards, while Mesina, despite leaving late in the fourth quarter due to leg cramps, recorded nine points, four assists, three rebounds, and one steal.
This latest win mirrored the Junior Warriors’ first-round dominance over UPIS, when they secured a 91-44 blowout on September 14.
