JB Cagurungan delivered the go-ahead triple, propelling second-seeded Far Eastern University-Diliman to a thrilling 90-89 victory over third-ranked Ateneo de Manila University, securing a spot in the UAAP Season 88 High School Boys’ Basketball Finals on Sunday afternoon at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
By scoring the Baby Tamaraws’ last 13 points—none bigger than Cagurungan’s three-pointer that gave FEU-D a crucial 90-88 lead with 20 seconds remaining—the squad is headed to the championship stage for the first time since their title run in Season 85 (2023).
The 18-year-old shooting guard from Solana, Cagayan Valley, was scorching from beyond the arc, finishing with 27 points on 7-of-9 three-point shooting and adding five rebounds. His heroics overshadowed the effort of presumptive Best Foreign Student Athlete Jude Eriobu, who tallied 36 points, 22 rebounds, four blocks, and three steals.
The Baby Tamaraws now await the winner of the other Final Four matchup between top-seeded National University Nazareth School and fourth-ranked De La Salle Zobel—a game still ongoing at the time of posting—to determine their opponent in the best-of-three championship series.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Because Cabs got early two fouls, JB is a given for me every time. What was big for us is the bench, the players who came off the bench, lahat nag-contribute in their own ways. The goal was to keep the game close until makabalik si Cabonilas sa third,” Reyes said.
On a personal note, Reyes returns to the Finals 30 years after leading Ateneo to the Season 58 high school championship.
For the Baby Tamaraws, this victory also served as a measure of revenge after being swept in the eliminations by the Blue Eagles, winning their last two postseason matchups—including a dominant 111-73 win in the playoff for the No. 2 seed—to secure their Finals return.
“Masayang masaya kami dahil nakuha namin yung goal namin of getting into the Finals… Our goal was to keep getting better, we played well [nung playoff] for the twice-to-beat game. We just told the players na that the Final Four game will be a lot harder,” he added.
FEU-D had to dig deep as presumptive Most Valuable Player Cabs Cabonilas—who finished with seven points on 2-of-10 shooting, eight rebounds, one steal, one block, and one assist—spent most of the game in foul trouble, committing two quick fouls at the 8:23 mark of the opening period.
With their graduating forward limited, Cagurungan took over, sinking a triple, two free throws, and a layup to give the Baby Tamaraws a comfortable 84-77 lead with exactly three minutes remaining in the payoff period.
Second-generation cager Noah Banal refused to fold, scoring nine of Ateneo’s 11 points—including a midrange jumper, a triple, and two free throws—to give the Blue Eagles a slim 88-87 lead with 58.4 seconds left.
However, with a Finals ticket on the line, Cagurungan was ready to finish his best outing of Season 88 in style. After Cabonilas secured a loose ball, he immediately passed to Marc Burgos, who then found Cagurungan for a contested right-wing triple over Zane Kallos, building a 90-88 lead with 20 seconds remaining.
Ateneo had one last chance as Kallos found Eriobu inside, but the 6-foot-10 Nigerian center failed to control the ball, leading to a Sam Hall steal that sealed FEU-D’s Finals berth.
Khean Esperanza also stepped up, contributing 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting, along with six assists, five rebounds, and four steals, while Burgos added 15 points, six rebounds, three steals, and two assists.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Meanwhile, the Blue Eagles capped a breakthrough campaign in Season 88, finishing third—the program’s first podium finish since Season 81. The result marked significant progress for Ateneo after placing fifth in Season 85 and enduring back-to-back seventh-place finishes in Seasons 86 and 87.
The Blue Eagles will now compete in the 2026 SMART-NBTC National Finals, set from March 22 to 29 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay. Banal finished with 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting, two rebounds, two assists, and two steals, while Audwyn Tamayo added 12 points, four rebounds, three steals, and one assist.
In his final boys’ basketball game, graduating forward Jay-M Leal struggled, fouling out with 4:29 remaining, finishing with just three points on 1-of-9 shooting and one assist.
Other departing Blue Eagles include Ethan Kaw, Ethan Reyes, Renzo Gatmaitan, Henry Madrangca, Aiori Aquino, and Jared Magpoc.
The Scores
FEU-D (90) – Cagurungan 27, Esperanza 18, Burgos 15, Cabonilas 7, Rañeses 6, Sohm 6, Gaye 4, Santos 4, Alagaban 3, Hall 0, Dulin 0, Dagcutan 0, Cariño 0, Enriquez 0.
Ateneo (89) – Eriobu 36, Banal 25, Tamayo 12, Kallos 6, Espinas 5, Leal 3, Madrangca 1, Gatmaitan 1, Kaw 0.
Quarterscores: 21-13, 36-42, 66-64, 90-89.
