By: Jerod Orcullo
Ateneo de Manila University successfully defended its UAAP NBA2K25 title with a dominant 2-0 sweep over University of Santo Tomas in the grand finals of UAAP Season 87, held Friday at the Quantum Skyview Deck of Gateway Mall 2 in Araneta City.
In the matchup between the top seeds of Groups A and B—both entering the finals with near-perfect records—it was the Blue Eagles who prevailed, leaning on their championship poise and experience.
Guiding Ateneo’s NBA2K squad was eGilas Pilipinas head coach Nite Alparas, who recently led the national team to a fourth-place finish in the eFIBA Season 3 World Finals last December.
Having previously coached a squad focused on the Pro-Am format of NBA2K, Alparas had to pivot and adjust his tactics after the UAAP decided to adopt the “Play Now” game mode for this season.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Lahat ng pinaghirapan namin from the last two months, ito na yun, nakuha ulit namin yung back-to-back. Siyempre proud ako sa boys, kasi alam ko yung mga pinagdaanan nila, nag-start kami sa Pro-Am eh, as in ang hirap ng mga natutunan nila dun tapos biglang nag-announce ng Play Now, so back to zero kami,” Alparas, who has been with Ateneo for two seasons, shared.
“Kahit ganun yung nangyari, nakita ko sila na gusto nila manalo and andun talaga yung team effort.”
BS Information Technology Entrepreneurship student and former Ateneo men’s basketball team student manager Paolo Medina capped off his collegiate career with another championship—this time, alongside fellow seniors Justine Lagac and Luis Jovellanos, the latter named tournament MVP.
“It means the world to me knowing that I did it with my teammates. I feel like this feeling of winning is way more satisfying than it was when I did last year, knowing that I did it with the efforts of my team behind me, knowing that Luis came up clutch in Game 1 in that overtime thriller,” Medina said.
For Game 1, Alparas entrusted the controller to Jovallenos, who used the Washington Wizards against UST’s Daemiel Argame, who played with the Miami Heat.
With the game knotted at 64 at the end of regulation, both players entered overtime with everything on the line. That’s when Jovallenos took control, outscoring Argame 13-7 in the extra period to give Ateneo a critical 77-71 victory and a 1-0 series lead.
In Game 2, it was Medina’s turn to close the deal. Using the San Antonio Spurs, he powered past Eryx Delos Reyes’ Dallas Mavericks, 69-59, to seal the championship for Ateneo and earn his second gold medal.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
In the semifinals, the Blue Eagles made quick work of the Adamson University Soaring Falcons, sweeping the series 2-0 thanks to commanding performances from Lagac (Washington Wizards) and Medina (Milwaukee Bucks), both of whom secured double-digit wins in their respective games.
The Teletigers, meanwhile, survived a grueling three-game series against the De La Salle University Green Aces.
Argame came up big for UST, securing clutch victories in Games 1 and 3 against Luis Parducho to propel his team to the finals.
