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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Ateneo plays De La Salle in Pinoyliga Cup 'Rivalry Day'

Ateneo plays De La Salle in Pinoyliga Cup 'Rivalry Day'

Published Jan 29, 2026 10:37 pm

At A Glance

  • The hands of time turns back for these players, not in a time capsule, but through the Pinoyliga Alumni Cup as the Blue Eagles and the Green Archers clash on 'Rivalry Day' this Sunday, Feb. 1, at the FilOil Playtime Arena in San Juan.
It has been 10 years since college rivals Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University clashed for all the marbles to decide, and get the bragging rights, which team is the ‘best’ inside the hardwood of basketball.
However, for true and ‘hardcore’ basketball fans, it was during the two teams previous four matchups in the UAAP stage that put their rivalry to a different level as games were physical and controversial.
Remember the times when ‘Captain Hook’ Mac Cardona used to break the hearts of every Ateneo - from opposing players to its diehard supporters - with his unorthodox shot while his teammates Rico Maierhofer and Jerwin Gaco dominated the shaded paint with their physicality.
That time too when Chris Tiu used to make the winning plays for the Blue Eagles while shooter Eric Salamat bury the green-and-white with his booming triples, and the bigs like Noy Baclao and Nico Salva stood their ground and proved tougher when it mattered most for Ateneo.
The hands of time turns back for these players, not in a time capsule, but through the Pinoyliga Alumni Cup as the Blue Eagles and the Green Archers clash on ‘Rivalry Day’ this Sunday, Feb. 1, at the FilOil Playtime Arena in San Juan.
The game between the Eagles and the Archers is set at 6 p.m., right after the 3:30 p.m. match between the Cardinals and the Knights.
Led by former two-time PBA Most Valuable Player Willie “The Thriller” Miller, who played for Letran during the 90s, the Knights are gunning for their fourth straight win in as many games against their ‘Intramuros’ rival Cardinals (1-2).
Like the Cardinals, the Eagles and the Archers sport 1-2 cards, the reason why their game is crucial considering both are eyeing to improve not only their records but more importantly their respective playoff hopes.
It was in 2016 during the UAAP men’s basketball finals when the Green Archers swept the Blue Eagles, 2-0, for the championship, but since then, basketball fans have not seen a finals match between Ateneo-DLSU.
The two teams also clashed in the UAAP finals in 1988, 2001, 2002 and 2007. In all five meetings in the finals, the Blue Eagles hold a 3-2 advantage. Counting their finals duels during their time when they were still part of the NCAA, the two rival schools have met on eight different occasions and are 4-4 overall.
But similar to their UAAP or NCAA clashes when elimination round games were treated equally as the finals, expect this one - their first game in the Pinoyliga Alumni - to be one intense and physical.
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