HAU Golden Guardians suffered a decisive 65 – 96 defeat against the New Era University (NEU) Hunters, marking their first loss in the 23rd season of the National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (NAASCU) Men’s Basketball Tournament held at Enderun Colleges on October 22.

The Golden Guardians secured the tip-off and drew first blood with the opening basket but quickly lost their footing, managing only 14 points in the first quarter to trail 14–23 as the Hunters took early control of the game.

Carrying their early momentum, NEU continued to dominate the court as they closed the first half, leaving the Guardians struggling to keep up with an 18-point deficit, 35 – 53.

Coming off halftime, the Golden Guardians tried to close the gap but could not break through as the NEU Hunters held on to a 14-point lead in the third quarter, 54 – 68. The Hunters then pulled away for good in the fourth quarter, capping the game with a decisive run that dished out a 65 – 96 loss to the HAU varsity team in their season opener.

The match marked HAU’s first official appearance in NAASCU Season 23 after their scheduled opener against Enderun Colleges was postponed on October 20 due to inclement weather.

HAU now holds a 0 – 1 win-loss record in the tournament as they aim to bounce back in their next match on November 5, where they will face City University of Pasay, according to the NAASCU schedule.