With familiar pillars gone and expectations weighing heavily, National University Nazareth School entered the UAAP Season 88 Boys’ Basketball Tournament staring into a defining question: Who would become the Bullpups’ new heartbeat?
The graduation of Nigerian center Collins Akowe, along with Migs Palanca and Mac Alfanta, left a void not just in production, but in leadership. Hungry to finally break through after back-to-back runner-up finishes, head coach Kevin de Castro and the NUNS faithful didn’t have to look far for an answer.
Amid a talent-rich roster featuring Shaun Lucido, Chad Cartel, and Malian big man Moussa Diakite, De Castro placed his trust in second-year floor general Mot Matias.
He fully believes the son of former PBA champion Ronnie Matias is ready to embrace a role far bigger than the stat sheet: the Bullpups’ ‘heart and soul.’
The fourth-year mentor made it clear that such a label is not given lightly. Yet in Matias, De Castro saw an impact that transcended numbers — something distinctly different from what Akowe, Palanca, and Alfanta had provided in previous seasons.
Through NUNS’ impressive 5–2 first-round campaign, Matias posted all-around numbers of 5.29 points, 7.86 assists, 4.29 rebounds, and 2.57 steals per game, good for seventh in the MVP race with 66.857 statistical points.
“Syempre, very proud, pero kulang pa. Kailangan pa niya pagtrabahuin, especially sa second round. Alam ko naman at sinabi ko na sa kanya ito, na siya ang heart and soul ng team namin,” De Castro claimed on Sunday afternoon inside the Adamson University Gym.
“Hindi ‘man sa scoring, pero yung how he sets the table for us and yung defense niya, napaka-valuable rin sa amin.”
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
That trust was rewarded when the stakes were at their highest — against defending champion University of Santo Tomas.
In a gripping rematch of the UAAP Season 87 Finals, Matias rose in the clutch, knocking down a game-tying triple with 1:40 remaining before finding Miekho Natinga for the go-ahead midrange jumper.
The sequence completed a stunning comeback from a 23–38 second-quarter deficit and further cemented why Matias carries the mantle as NUNS’ bona fide ‘heart and soul.’
“Yung pagkatira ko ‘non, talagang si Lord na ‘yon ‘eh. Nagtiwala na lang ako sa tira ko, and thankful ako na pumasok at nakuha rin namin yung panalo,” Matias shared.
While some players might shrink under the weight of such responsibility, the 18-year-old guard from Sampaloc welcomes the pressure — seeing it not as a burden, but as a purpose.
That purpose is clear: to finally deliver De Castro his first UAAP boys’ basketball championship, after a bronze finish in Season 85 and back-to-back silver medals in Seasons 86 and 87.
“Yung tiwala nila sa akin, tinatanggap ko lang ng buong puso ko. Sabi nila sa akin, ako nga raw yung heart and soul ng team, so pinapakita ko talaga sa kanila na… Kumbaga, I am being a good example for them, kasi ganon ang magaling na leader ‘eh,” Matias said.
“Binuhos talaga namin yung lahat at credit kay Coach Kevin kasi pinagtrabahuan niya ito throughout this season. Ito yung last game namin sa first round, so marami pang games and for sure, yung UST talagang babawi sa amin yan,” he continued.
“Talagang didiin pa kami sa ensayo para kay Coach Kev.”
