SKY Jazul took charge when it mattered most, carrying Ateneo de Manila University on his young shoulders and keeping the title in Katipunan after a thrilling 21-18 victory over Far Eastern University-Diliman in the UAAP Season 88 16-and-under 3×3 basketball final on Sunday at Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City.
Meanwhile, the Baby Tamaraws also captured the 19-and-under division title for the fourth straight season, ending the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs’ undefeated run with a 21-17 win in the final.
The Blue Eagles trailed 14-18 before the reigning Junior High School Boys’ 3×3 MVP took matters into his own hands.
Jazul knocked down back-to-back deuces to tie the game at 18-all.
Then, with 20.4 seconds left, the 5-foot-9 guard nailed a floater to give Ateneo a one-point lead.
After a defensive stop, Jazul found space and buried the gold-winning deuce from the upper-right elbow with 8.9 seconds remaining, sealing Ateneo’s back-to-back championship.
“Malas ako nung first five minutes. Hindi ako maka-shoot, so binawi ko sa mga crucial moments,” said Sky, the son of Letran legend RJ Jazul, who was named tournament MVP.
Sky finished with 11 points built on four deuces, with support from JD Juangco (five points) and Franco Bernarte (four points).
“Bawi ‘to kasi hindi ako nakalaro nung last five games ng season namin sa 5-on-5. I just had to show everyone here that I’m still—even with a shoulder injury—I’m still… I can be the best,” said Sky. “So, I just did the rest of the work. And I thank my dad for supporting me, my mom, and all the S&C coaches.”
Ateneo, which finished the elimination round as the second seed with a 5-2 record—including a 21-15 loss to FEU-D on Day 2—ousted De La Salle-Zobel in the semifinals, 19-11, behind Jazul’s nine points.
FEU-D, on the other hand, defeated University of the East, led by reigning 5-on-5 MVP Goodluck Okebata, 21-15 in the other semifinal pairing.
Okebata and UE salvaged the bronze medal with a 22-13 win over DLSZ in the third-place match.
Enzo Purugganan of DLSZ was named the 16-and-under Rookie of the Year.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
In the 19-and-under final, Marc Burgos, who is committed to the FEU seniors program and hailed tournament MVP, dropped 10 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field, including the match-winner with 2:10 remaining.
Cabs Cabonilas tallied four points and 12 rebounds, while JB Cagurungan added four points as well.
“Sobrang saya namin kasi champion kami sa 5-on-5 at pati rin dito sa 3×3. Sobrang saya namin kasi puro last year na kami, si Sam (Hall), si Cabs, ako. Sobrang saya lang na nakuha namin itong championship,” said Burgos as they completed a ‘golden double’ in basketball.
FEU-D, which went 6-2 in the elimination round, had to scrape past DLSZ in the semifinals, escaping with a 21-18 win.
UST, which went unbeaten in the elimination round, also had to gut out a 21-18 victory over NUNS to advance to the final.
The Bullpups secured bronze in the division after a 21-18 win over the Junior Archers.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
In the girls’ division, the Lady Bullpups dethroned the Junior Tigresses with a 20-13 victory.
Ruiza Olmos, the division’s Rookie MVP, scored 10 points and grabbed three rebounds, while Zayden Rosano added five points and nine rebounds in the finale to cap a perfect 5-0 season.
“Sobrang sarap sa feeling po talaga. Lahat ng hard work po namin—hindi lang po sa akin, pati na rin po yung hindi po 3×3—kasi sa tulong po talaga nila [nakuha ito]. ‘Di namin makukuha itong panalong ito kung wala po sila, kaya sobrang sarap po sa feeling talaga,” said KJ Badajos as they avenged their loss to UST in the 5-on-5 finals last March.
In the girls’ third-place match, DLSZ routed Ateneo, 16-1.
