Far Eastern University-Diliman dominated the 2025 B.League Under-16 Challenge Cup, sweeping the competition in the two-day tournament held at Yoyogi National Stadium Second Gymnasium.
In the final on Sunday, the Baby Tamaraws cruised past the Sun Rockers Shibuya, 79-62, to claim the championship.
Fourteen-year-old FSA Imam Sene delivered a stellar performance, torching the Sun Rockers with 33 points on 13-of-23 shooting while also grabbing 30 rebounds and blocking four shots. His dominant display earned him a spot on the tournament’s Mythical Team.
Team captain Jacob Gutierrez contributed 10 points and six rebounds, while Dwyne Enriquez, Prince Cariño, and Mark Dulin provided valuable support for Sene.
“Without our chemistry, we wouldn’t have been able to execute our plays and communicate effectively to get this win. It’s our brotherhood that brought us this championship,” Gutierrez said.
FEU-D’s title run was nothing short of dominant. Fresh off a third-place finish in the recently concluded UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Boys’ Basketball Tournament, the Baby Tamaraws overpowered two other B.League youth squads in the group stage.
They opened their campaign with a resounding 111-68 victory over Veltex Shizuoka before securing a 68-53 win against the Yokohama B-Corsairs to advance to the final.
Against Veltex, five Baby Tamaraws scored in double figures, led by Pat Pasinos with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Cariño added 14 points and seven boards, while Mic Pingris and Enriquez each had 13. Duke Santos also chipped in 11.
In the win over Yokohama, CP Miranda led the way with 17 points, including two three-pointers, while Pasinos recorded a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds.
“We had to adjust to the cold weather and the Japanese teams’ playing style. Overall, it was a great experience, and we’d love to visit again,” Gutierrez added.
Also participating in the tournament were KBL club Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus and the Ryukyu Golden Kings.
