National University Nazareth School outgunned the erstwhile-unbeaten University of Santo Tomas, cruising to a commanding 85-63 triumph to remain perfect in the UAAP Season 88 Junior High School Basketball Tournament on Wednesday morning at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.
While much of the attention was on Malian center Moussa Diakite, expected to be the difference-maker against the Tiger Cubs — who managed only six points, eight rebounds, and four blocks — it was the Bullpups’ local standouts David Sabareza, Dean Tria, and Clark Khobuntin who rose to the occasion.
Their efforts fueled a decisive second-quarter surge that allowed NUNS to join the idle Adamson Baby Falcons atop the eight-team standings with matching 3-0 records.
“Malaking malaking boost ito sa morale ng mga bata kasi yan yung mga contenders. Yung tatlong contenders, natalo na namin — UE, FEU, tapos UST. Kailangan lang talaga bantayan yung mga ulo ng bata baka magsilakihan. We have to keep our feets on the ground,” Bullpups head coach Leo Pujante said.
In the second quarter, a putback by Dave Regala trimmed UST’s deficit to 27-20, but NUNS responded with a commanding 22-4 run — highlighted by a three-pointer and an alley-oop layup by Nick Pena — to enter halftime with a 25-point lead at 49-24, a gap the Tiger Cubs struggled to close.
From there, it was all Bullpups.
A Tria layup, a Jaypee Yanga jumper, and a Jehove Gatumbato inside basket extended the lead to 71-42 heading into the final period, effectively sealing NUNS’ 3-0 sweep.
With Diakite dominating the paint at 6-foot-10, NUNS held UST to a dismal 24.6-percent shooting from the field (17-of-69), forced 28 turnovers, and recorded 18 steals.
Tria led the Bullpups with 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting, adding four assists, three steals, two rebounds, and a block, while Sabareza contributed 13 points, seven assists, seven steals, and six rebounds. Pena finished with 11 points, four rebounds, and two assists, and Yanga added 10 points, six rebounds, and one steal.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
For the Tiger Cubs, Dats Datu was the lone double-digit scorer with 16 points and five rebounds.
CJ Tabbuga posted nine points, eight rebounds, three blocks, and two assists.
Miguel Jubilado — who averaged 22 points in UST’s first two games — was limited to eight points on 1-of-7 shooting, and Gab Castro also struggled offensively, scoring eight points on 1-of-12 shooting but contributing nine rebounds and one block.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Later in the day, Far Eastern University-Diliman bounced back against De La Salle Zobel, 80-65, to regain momentum and force a three-way tie for third place with UST and the University of the East, all holding 2-1 records.
Reeling from a 66-78 loss to the Bullpups last Saturday, the Baby Tamaraws asserted their dominance early, racing to a 23-14 first-quarter lead and expanding it to as much as 18 points at 44-26 by halftime.
That strong start carried through the second half, as a Prince Cariño layup, a Dwyne Enriquez three-pointer, and a Dwayne Cañete basket extended FEU-D’s lead to 65-49 after three quarters. The Baby Tamaraws capped their second win in three outings with a 10-2 run early in the fourth quarter, putting DLSZ in a 75-51 hole with under seven minutes remaining.
“I told the players to move forward and forget about NU and learn how we lost the game. Sabi ko sa kanila, focus on the next game and be a man — not a boy — be a man kasi heading into the next level na ‘yan ‘eh. Hindi na tayo pwede magpabaya at baunin lang natin kung ano yung maganda na ginawa natin against NU,” Baby Tamaraws head coach Muriel Garcia said.
Cariño recorded a dominant double-double with 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting and 19 rebounds, while Enriquez added 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Prince Pineda went perfect from the field with 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting, along with 10 rebounds, two steals, and a block.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Enzo Purugganan once again led the Junior Archers with 21 points, four rebounds, and two steals as DLSZ remained winless through three games.
The Scores:
First Game
NUNS (85) – Tria 17, Sabareza 13, Peña 11, Yanga 10, Manalo 7, Gatumbato 7, Diakite 6, Khobuntin 6, Liwanag 4, Arzola 2, Enriquez 2, Lalong-Isip 0, Romero 0, Sinda 0, Santiago 0, Geron 0.
UST (63) – Datu 16, Tabbuga 9, Jubilado 8, Castro 8, Anggot 5, Guinto 4, Regala 4, Dueñas 4, Cabañero 2, Villacarlos 2, Retaga 1.
Quarterscores: 15-10, 49-24, 71-42, 85-63.
Second Game
FEU-D (80) – Cariño 23, Enriquez 19, Pineda 14, Cañete 6, Barlan 6, Mojica 4, Desiderio 3, Mampao 2, Manaloto 2, Calma 1, Isip 0, Chavez 0, Cruz 0, Madrigal 0, Daa 0, Maghinay 0.
DLSZ (65) – E. Purugganan 21, Pangan 8, River 6, Dizon 6, I. Purugganan 5, Mindanao 5, Delos Reyes 5, Mercado 2, Asis 2, Sy 2, Meloto 2, Dumana 1, Quillo 0, De Lara 0.
Quarterscores: 23-14, 49-35, 65-49, 80-65.
