We’re taking the rivalry beyond the scoreboard.
Over the years, the La Salle-Ateneo rivalry has gone far past the limits of the basketball court. Today, any sporting match between both universities is regarded as a rivalry match, whether it’s for volleyball, football, or even NBA 2K. And today, we’re taking the Blue-versus-Green feud to another playing field — shoes.
Last Sunday, September 15, the DLSU Green Archers and the Ateneo Blue Eagles took on the court at the Mall of Asia Arena for their first rivalry game of UAAP Season 87. Though La Salle came out on top, we still have yet to find out one more thing: Which team had the better sneaker game?
Let’s take a quick look at some of the best kicks we spotted on the court!
David Dungo – La Salle
The UAAP men’s basketball tournament almost always coincides with the Philippines’ early start to Christmas season, and we’re getting hints of the festive spirit from David Dungo’s Nike Kobe 6 Protro in the colorway “Grinch.” These are definitely hot pairs, as when they were released on Christmas Eve 2020, they sold out in an instant.
Joshua Lazaro – Ateneo
If you watched the La Salle-Ateneo game last Sunday, either live or on TV, you most likely spotted these bright pink kicks. They’re hard to miss.
The eye-catching pair work by Joshua Lazaro is the popular adidas Harden Vol. 8 in the color Flamingo Pink. The Harden sneaker line is one of adidas’ bestsellers, especially when it comes to basketball kicks, as they not only sell out quickly, but they’re also easily among the most recognizable.
Kevin Quiambao – La Salle
Thought you were seeing double? Well, you were. Kevin Quiambao has also been rocking the Harden Vol. 8 in Flamingo Pink at every game of UAAP Season 87 so far, and they definitely seem to be working in his favor as he has been La Salle’s strongest weapon.
So between KQ and Lazaro, who do you think sports Flamingo Pink better?
Sean Quitevis – Ateneo
Opting for a more simple and sleek pair of shoes, Sean Quitevis came onto the court wearing a pair of Curry 4 Low FloTro shoes by Under Armour. A simple choice, but if you take a closer look, the details come in blue-and-white, a very fitting choice to round out a full Ateneo look.
Mike Phillips – La Salle
Green Archers co-captain Mike Phillips played well against the Blue Eagles wearing the adidas Anthony Edwards 1 The Future Basketball Shoes. These are definitely among the most unique-looking shoes, but this was what Anthony Edwards intended when designing his signature line.
Kris Porter – Ateneo
Kris Porter was spotted warming up with a pair of Under Armour Curry 12 ‘Curry Tour’ in the Salt Purple / Rebel Pink colorway. While not as bright as teammate Joshua Lazaro’s Flamingo Pink shoes, the Curry 12s are easier on the eyes and have an eye-catching galaxy-like pattern on the outer soles.
Earl Abadam – La Salle
The Nike Kobe 8 Protro line is one of the most popular as far as basketball shoes go, and Earl Abadam sported a pair in the colorway ‘Aqua’ for the La Salle-Ateneo game. This particular design is definitely for Kobe fans, as the numbers 8, 24, and 2 are printed repeatedly on the shoe to represent the jersey numbers worn by Kobe and his daughter Gianna.
Kyle Gamber – Ateneo
Music and fashion both go hand-in-hand with basketball these days, and Kyle Gamber’s pair of Metro Boomin’s KD 17 is a clear example of this. Music producer Metro Boomin collaborated with Nike to create this one-of-a-kind Kevin Durant 17 colorway that looks very galaxy-esque. Could Metro Boomin be a part of Gamber’s pre-game playlist?
Banner images by Kieran Punay.