---
title: "UP Reclaims UAAP Lead as La Salle Breaks Free of Logjam"
url: https://sports23.net/uaap-season-89-weekend-recap-up-la-salle
published: 2026-10-26T05:45:52Z
updated: 2026-10-26T05:45:52Z
summary: "UP reclaimed the solo lead, La Salle broke out of a five-way tie behind JC Macalalag's career-high 28, and Ateneo survived an FEU rally in UAAP Season 89 action."
author: "Sports23 Editorial"
categories: ["Scores & Results"]
tags: ["Basketball", "College Basketball", "Philippine Basketball", "Philippines", "UAAP"]
lang: en
---

# UP Reclaims UAAP Lead as La Salle Breaks Free of Logjam

*The Fighting Maroons are back in solo first, JC Macalalag went off for a career high, and UE's losing streak hit 29 in a busy UAAP weekend.*

A packed weekend at the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City reshuffled the top of the UAAP Season 89 men's basketball standings. The University of the Philippines took back solo first place, De La Salle escaped a five-team pile-up in the middle of the table, and the University of the East's long wait for a win went on.

## UP routs UE to retake solo lead

The Fighting Maroons blasted the winless Red Warriors 101-70 on Sunday to improve to 7-2 and reclaim first place, a half-game ahead of National University at 6-2.

Gani Stevens set the tone from the opening tip, hitting all five of his early shots for 13 quick points, and Veejay Pre led the Maroons with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists. Miguel Palanca added 12 off the bench in a wire-to-wire victory that stretched UP's winning run to five — the longest active streak in the league. The margin grew as wide as 34 late in the game.

For UE, the defeat was a ninth straight this season and a 29th in a row dating back to 2024. Tope Lagat again provided the lone bright spot with a game-high 23 points.

## Macalalag's career night lifts La Salle

Playing without injured guard Jacob Cortez, De La Salle leaned on JC Macalalag, who poured in a career-best 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 6-of-8 from three-point range, in a 92-80 win over Santo Tomas.

Doy Dungo added a career-high 24 points as the Green Archers broke the game open with an 18-3 run and outscored the Growling Tigers 25-9 in the final quarter. The win pushed La Salle to 5-4 and sole possession of third place, breaking free of a five-way 4-4 logjam. UST slipped to 4-5.

## Saturday: NU's rout, Ateneo's escape

National University kept pace at the top with a ruthless 79-43 dismantling of Adamson on Saturday — the Soaring Falcons' heaviest defeat in 12 years. The Bulldogs held Adamson to five points in the second quarter and never looked back, with Tebol Garcia stuffing the stat sheet with 14 points, six assists, five rebounds and two steals. NU's fourth straight victory briefly drew it level with UP before the Maroons answered on Sunday.

In the day's first game, Ateneo nearly threw away an 18-point lead before surviving Far Eastern University 75-72. FEU's 10-0 closing run cut the gap to one, but rookie Kieffer Alas calmly sank two free throws in the dying seconds to seal it. Alas finished with 21 points, while Sultan Baruwa posted a 13-point, 12-rebound double-double as the Blue Eagles snapped a three-game skid.

## How it stands

After the weekend, UP leads at 7-2, followed by NU (6-2) and La Salle (5-4). Ateneo, Adamson and FEU are bunched at 4-4, with UST a half-game back at 4-5 and UE still searching at 0-9.

The race resumes Wednesday when NU meets Ateneo at the Smart Araneta Coliseum — a test for both the Bulldogs' streak and the Blue Eagles' revival.