AGUILAR CATCHES FIRE AS UE CRUSHES DLSZ TO BOUNCE BACK

UAAP Season 88 Media Team

By Joaquin Cortez

The Strong Group-powered UE Junior Warriors bounced back from a heartbreaking loss in their previous outing, clobbering the De La Salle Zobel Junior Archers, 89–66, in the UAAP Season 88 Junior High School Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, October 15, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Zion Aguilar led the charge for UE with a stellar all-around performance of 23 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and six three-pointers off the bench, as the Junior Warriors improved to a 4–2 record. Meanwhile, the Junior Archers remained winless at 0–6.

“Coming from our heartbreaking loss against Adamson, talagang nag-regroup kami,” said UE head coach Matthew Sia. “Kinausap ko sila ng matindi — kalimutan na natin ‘yung talo, bawi tayo sa La Salle.”

UE came out firing with a 7–0 opening run, capped by an Okebata fastbreak layup. The Junior Warriors capitalized on DLSZ’s cold start to take a commanding 22–7 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The lead ballooned to as many as 23 points, 34–11, before DLSZ showed signs of life with a 16–6 run, highlighted by John Mindanao’s banked triple that trimmed the deficit to 40–27 by halftime.

Julian Pangan’s layup early in the third quarter brought the Junior Archers within single digits, 42–34, but UE quickly regained control. A clutch three-pointer by Sean Felizmenia extended the lead once again, 58–44, heading into the final frame.

From there, it was all Aguilar. The sharpshooter caught fire in the fourth quarter, drilling all six of his triples to extinguish any hopes of a DLSZ comeback and seal UE’s fourth win of the season.

Okebata delivered a dominant double-double of 20 points and 16 rebounds, while Mark Perdigon and Jaden Roxas added 12 and 10 points, respectively, in the victory.

The Junior Red Warriors aim to close out the first round on a high note when they take on the FEU-D Baby Tamaraws on Sunday, October 19, at the Araneta Coliseum.