De La Salle University marches to the UAAP Men’s Badminton Final Four for the first time in six years, as seniors Joshua Morada and Yuan Tan sealed a 3-0 sweep of University of Santo Tomas to end the drought in the second stage of the playoffs on Monday at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall in Malate, Manila.
Down 10-11 at the interval and changeover of the third and deciding game of the lone doubles match, Morada and Tan found a second wind, scoring four unanswered points. De La Salle pushed the pace, leaving UST’s Ron Galve and Bien Miraflor scrambling for points.
The Thomasians inched closer, 17-18, but a precise finish to the open spot from Tan restored order for the Green Shuttlers. From there, it was no turning back as the two stalwarts secured two more points and the victory, 22-20, 20-22, 21-17 — a closer that gifted the university a long-awaited seat in the semifinals.
The Green Shuttlers will make their first Final Four appearance since 2019 (Season 82), ending a three-season stretch of failing to progress past the qualifying round.
“Ang mindset lang namin is kailangan naming lahat mag-step up. Hindi dapat kami kailangan umasa sa isang tao; kaya ang inisip namin dapat every game, every point, kailangang makuha,” said Morada of what worked for the team in this rematch against UST.
De La Salle collected its lone win of the qualifying round at the expense of UST last Thursday, October 16, 4-1, forcing the playoff ladder and clinching the fourth seed and a bye in the process.
With Morada determined not to end his UAAP career on a sour note, the Taft-based side asserted its dominance over last year’s semifinalists.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The rout, however, began with defining wins from rookie Lovic Javier and third-year shuttler James Capin.
Javier took down fellow newcomer UST’s Aaron Bendaña in a 33-minute battle in the opening singles rubber. The two upstarts fought toe-to-toe in the first game, but Javier eventually found his rhythm en route to a 22-20, 21-11 win.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Capin, meanwhile, was all business against UST captain Angelo Tuazon in a 21-14, 21-16 contest that lasted 36 minutes. Tuazon kept it close in the early stages of both games, but Capin created separation late, eventually taking the 2-0 advantage for his team.
That cushion was all Morada and Tan needed before their heroics clinched the victory for De La Salle.
The Green Shuttlers will face top-ranked Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles on Tuesday at 8 a.m., still at the Malate venue, for the knockout semifinal tie.
For Morada, he wants his squad fully prepared for the rivalry showdown.
“Maging mas focused pa siguro and makinig lang sa mga coaches. And siguro, magtiwala lang sa isa’t isa,” shared the former Smash Pilipinas training pool member.
National University and University of the Philippines will contest the other Final Four slot on Wednesday.
It was the end of the road for UST, which had earlier swept Adamson University, 3-0, in the first stage of the playoffs to extend its season.
