Far Eastern University continued to gain ground in the UAAP Season 89 Collegiate Men’s Basketball Tournament, catching another big fish in the University of the Philippines with a 90-79 wire-to-wire victory on Sunday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
The narratives were aplenty, but the biggest of them all was Kirby Mongcopa and the rest of the Tamaraws getting the better of a familiar face in Veejay Pre, who won the Season 87 Rookie of the Year award with FEU in 2024 before transferring to UP.
Mongcopa came up huge with a game-high 24 points to go with nine rebounds and three assists, leading the Tamaraws to their first win over the Fighting Maroons in seven years and snapping a 10-game losing streak. FEU’s last victory over UP came on October 6, 2019, when the Tamaraws prevailed, 82-79, in overtime during Season 82.
Pre, who is Mongcopa’s best friend, led UP with 16 points and five rebounds.
“We’re just so grateful to be at this moment… Going to year three, we knew there were a season of tremendous improvement and guys were just basically trusting one another, playing off one another, and they’re one with the system and playing on a high level,” said FEU head coach Sean Chambers.
“Masaya naman ako kapag nakikita ko si Veejay maglaro at lumalaban din. Naglaro kami ng basketball, masaya ako,” added Mongcopa, who has known Pre since their high school days at FEU-Diliman.
The Tamaraws, who were coming off a 90-78 win over defending champion De La Salle University, racked up their third straight victory to join the Ateneo Blue Eagles atop the standings with identical 3-1 records.
It is FEU’s best start since Season 78, when it also opened the campaign with a 3-1 record.
FEU and Ateneo will meet on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Tamaraws began the game on fire, racing to a 26-13 lead after the opening frame. The Maroons, however, fought back in the second quarter to trim the deficit to just two points at halftime, 43-41.
FEU remained unfazed by UP’s comeback, erupting for 32 points in the third quarter while holding the Maroons to just 14 to build a commanding 75-55 advantage heading into the payoff period.
Jorick Bautista contributed 16 points, four rebounds, and three assists in the win, while Janrey Pasaol chipped in 15 points, four assists, three rebounds, and two steals.
Rookie Cabs Cabonillas also continued his steady play with 11 points, five rebounds, and two steals, while Mo Konateh held his own with 10 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block.
Meanwhile, the Fighting Maroons suffered their second straight loss to fall to 2-2, tying the National University Bulldogs, University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, and Green Archers for fourth through seventh place.
Francis Nnoruka backed Pre with 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks, but committed six turnovers.
Noy Remogat also had 12 points, but the Maroons had little else going for them offensively.
UP will next face modern rival La Salle on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Scores:
FEU (90) – Mongcopa 24, Bautista 16, Pasaol 15, Cabonilas 11, Konateh 10, Felipe 5, Gish 4, Daa 3, Burgos 2, Nakai 0, Rañeses 0.
UP (79) – Pre 16, Nnoruka 14, Remogat 12, Payosing 8, Franco 6, Bayla 5, Stevens 5, Ogana 5, Briones 4, Poyos 2, Palanca 2, Yñiguez 0, Alter 0, Maga 0.
Quarterscores: 26-13, 43-41, 75-55, 90-79.
