NU ties Adamson atop UAAP Jrs basketball; UST, UP score wins

National University took a share of top spot in the UAAP Season 79 juniors’ basketball table after a 78-71 victory over Ateneo Saturday at San Juan Arena.

Karl Peñano scored 19 points to lead the defending champions to a 7-1 record, the same as Adamson University, while Paul Manalang added 16 points.

Muhammad Sarip finished with a near double-double of 10 points and nine rebounds for the defending champions.

There was also a little bit of movement in the bottom half of the table as University of the Philippines took the fifth spot after defeating University of the East 82-74.

Abdrei Dulalia and Sean Manaug’s twin double-doubles could not lift the 1-7 Junior Warriors, who stayed at eighth seed, over UP as they combined for 34 points and 28 rebounds.

Juan Gomez De Liaño led the Junior Maroons, who improved to a 3-5 slate, with 19 points and 15 rebounds while Ralph Labao and Enrique Estrera had 15 points apiece.

UST took control of De La Salle-Zobel in overtime coming away with an 83-77 win as the Tiger Cubs moved to seventh place with a 2-6 record after outscoring the Junior Archers 13-7 in extra time.

Crispin Cansino paced the Tiger Cubs with 18 points and seven rebounds while Miguel Ratuiste had a 12-point, 12-board double-double.

Martin Romero led DLSZ with 14 points and 11 boards as his Junior Archers slipped to 2-6.