▁Philippines ▁existed ▁even ▁before ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁NCAA . ▁UP ▁students ▁would ▁tro op ▁from ▁P adre ▁Fa ura ▁to ▁the ▁A ten e o ▁campus ▁in ▁In tr am u ros ▁to ▁play ▁basketball ▁with ▁the ▁A ten e ans , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁ ▁A ten e o ▁forming ▁the ▁first ▁organized ▁che ering ▁squad ▁and ▁p ep ▁band ▁in ▁the ▁Philippines ▁and ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Blue ▁Bab ble ▁Battalion . ▁This ▁would ▁later ▁become ▁" U A AP ' s ▁Battle ▁of ▁Kat ip un an " ▁when ▁both ▁univers ities ▁transferred ▁to ▁their ▁respective ▁camp uses ▁along ▁Kat ip un an ▁Avenue ▁in ▁Que zon ▁City , ▁and ▁when ▁the ▁two ▁schools ▁began ▁compet ing ▁in ▁the ▁U A AP . ▁ ▁A ten e o – La ▁S alle ▁ ▁Ar gu ably ▁the ▁most ▁popular ▁rival ry ▁in ▁Filip ino ▁sports ▁was ▁for ged ▁in ▁the ▁NCAA : ▁the ▁A ten e o – La ▁S alle ▁rival ry . ▁Historical ▁records ▁are ▁unclear ▁on ▁when ▁the ▁rival ry ▁began , ▁although ▁there ▁are ▁arguments ▁pointing ▁to ▁La ▁S alle ' s ▁ 1 9 3 9 ▁defeat ▁of ▁a ▁top - se eded ▁A ten e o ▁basketball ▁team ▁and ▁their ▁being ▁d eth ron ed ▁by ▁the ▁A ten e ans ▁who ▁beat ▁the ▁Las all ites ▁in ▁the ▁elim ination ▁round . ▁While ▁La ▁S alle ▁held ▁their ▁victory ▁para de , ▁they ▁threw ▁f ried ▁ch ick ens ▁at