As University of the East fell just short of a Final Four spot for the second consecutive year, Ethan Aguas draws strength from their recent fifth-place finish in the UAAP Season 87 Boys’ Basketball Tournament.
After also finishing in fifth place last season, the Junior Warriors had high hopes of breaking through and ending their 20-year Final Four drought. However, they once again fell short of rewriting their story.
Despite closing out Season 87 with a strong victory against Adamson, the weight of their narrow defeats still lingers.
UE endured back-to-back heartbreakers in the first round, losing to FEU in overtime and falling to NU by a single point.
“Andami naming game na down the wire, buzzer-beater… Siyempre sobrang sakit nun,” said Aguas, who previously led UE to a bronze finish in the inaugural UAAP Junior High tournament.
Determined to bounce back next season, Aguas vowed to redeem themselves for their graduating seniors.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“‘Dami naming nakuhang talo pero ganon pa rin, tatrabahuhin namin and babawi namin ‘yung mga seniors and mga aalis na coaches,” he added.
Meanwhile, head coach Karl Santos, who had high expectations for the season, emphasized that their journey was not just a test of resilience but also a valuable learning experience.
“Magandang realization sa’min ‘to na ibalik ‘yung sarili namin sa sahig dahil ‘di namin nakuha ‘yung goal namin eh,” he said.
Looking ahead, UE is preparing to welcome a new wave of talent, as rookies from their UAAP Under-16 championship team are expected to make a significant impact next season.
“Siyempre bright future kasi aangat din ‘yung mga 16, which is sila yung angat sa level nila,” Santos noted.
