National University’s reign over UAAP collegiate men’s badminton has been nothing short of dynastic — winning 10 of the last 11 championships and establishing a standard of dominance rarely seen in collegiate sports.
Now that the championship glory has once again returned to Jhocson, the Bulldogs feel determined to keep it there. But this season, the challenge is steeper than ever.
Before the start of the tournament, NU faced a major setback as two key players — Philippine Badminton Open 2023 champion Mark Velasco and Season 85 co-MVP Solomon Padiz Jr. — were unavailable for the campaign.
Adding to the void was July Villabrille’s continued absence as he prioritizes his academics for a second straight season.
Head coach Jaime Llanes knew defending their crown would not be easy. Still, he threw the gauntlet down to his remaining players: step up and carry the torch.
And no one embraced that challenge more than team captain and reigning MVP Lanz Zafra.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“As a team captain po, nung nag-training po kami sa Thailand, talagang sinasabihan ko po sila na mag-double time kasi nga alam namin na kulang. So, kailangan talagang mag-double time kasi magre-reflect ‘yung training mo sa game, lalabas siya sa laro mo,” said the 24-year-old standout.
With their lineup thinned by absences, Zafra and the rest of the Bulldogs had to stretch themselves — taking on both singles and doubles duties just to keep the team competitive.
“Yung nagbu-boost talaga ng confidence ko in this situation is ‘yung pagkapanalo namin last year,” he shared.
“So, nakapag-contribute ako ng two points ‘pag panalo ako ng singles at ng doubles.”
For Zafra, leadership goes beyond the court. He believes that strong chemistry and genuine camaraderie are what keep the Bulldogs resilient amid adversity.
“Mino-motivate ko lang ‘yung teammates ko na kaya rin nila ‘yon. Pinapalakas ko rin ‘yung bond namin, sabay kaming kumakain lagi,” he said.
“Para ‘yung bond namin as a team, matibay sa labas at lalo na sa loob ng court.”
With the Bulldogs’ chemistry locked in, Zafra hopes that their shared trust and confidence will be the key to defending their hard-earned title.
“Gusto kong makita sa team is confidence pa kasi nga meron kaming title na kailangang i-defend. Kailangan kong makita na gusto ulit naming manalo.”
