TOP-RANKED National University Nazareth School pulled out all the stops to survive the stern challenge of fourth-seeded De La Salle Zobel, 75-70, and advance to the UAAP Season 88 High School Boys’ Basketball Finals, Sunday afternoon at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
Behind the collective efforts of Malian center Moussa Diakite, Chad Cartel, Shaun Lucido, Mot Matias, and Kurl Figueroa, the Bullpups booked their third straight Finals appearance and their 12th time in the last 13 seasons.
With the victory, NUNS set up a best-of-three championship clash against the second-ranked Far Eastern University-Diliman, which earlier ousted third-seeded Ateneo de Manila University from title contention with a thrilling 90-89 victory.
The last time that the Bullpups and the Baby Tamaraws faced in the Finals was in Season 82 (2020), when a squad led by Terrence Fortea, Carl Tamayo, and Kevin Quiambao gave NUNS its eighth — and most recent — UAAP boys’ basketball title.
Coincidentally, the Lady Bullpups are also in the championship round, bracing for the tough stand of defending champion University of Santo Tomas Junior Growling Tigresses — a game ongoing as of publishing time.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Coming into this game, expected ko na talaga na magiging close game ito kasi yun naman yung hinahanap ko sa kanila na ito yung game na playoff. Kumbaga kung ano yung na-achieve nyo nung first round, second round, wala yan,” NUNS head coach Kevin de Castro said.
“Kumbaga, sa playoffs kasi, doon lumalabas yung mga big-time players. So, credit sa Zobel; binigyan kami ng good fight. Credit din kay Coach Gian (Nazario) kasi kung ano yung ginawa niya doon, talagang nag-turnaround yung team nila. So, sa akin lang, itong game na ito, lesson pa rin sa amin. Though medyo hindi satisfying win, pero yung resiliency, yung composure nung ali, nandun,” he added.
Eager to atone for dropping both elimination round matches against the Bullpups, a full-strength Junior Archers lineup — which welcomed the return of Nino Ferrer and Ken Atienza — led for most of the game, maintaining a 54-48 lead in the third behind two Ferrer free throws and a Maco Dabao layup.
NUNS, however, methodically crawled back, launching a 16-3 run that spanned until the 7:25 mark of the payoff period — capped by a Lucido floater, a Diakite layup, and a Miekho Natinga triple — to take a seven-point, 64-57 cushion.
The Junior Archers staged one last stand as DLSZ rallied behind an eight-point spurt by Mark Borrero and a Dabao layup to steal away a slim 67-66 cushion with 3:22 left on the clock.
At the end of the game, the Bullpups had the final laugh as NUNS finished the contest with a 9-2 surge — capped by the dagger free throws of Matias and Diakite with less than 10 seconds to play — to seal the program’s return trip to the Finals for the third consecutive season.
For De Castro, he is hoping that the third time is indeed the charm after settling for back-to-back silver-medal finishes across Seasons 86 to 87 with losses in the championship round to Adamson University and University of Santo Tomas, respectively.
“We’re hoping na this time makuha namin. Pero, we have to overcome yung powerhouse na FEU-D. Alam naman lahat eh, nandun yung leading MVP si Cabs [Cabonilas]. So, magandang challenge for us. Kumbaga, this time around, yung third time namin kami naman yung underdog. Nandito kami sa experience na ito at new story siya for us. Sana makuha namin for the school and sir Fulton Sy,” De Castro said.
Diakite finished with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, 13 rebounds, and one steal, while Cartel followed closely with 13 points, four rebounds, and two assists.
Lucido added 11 points, six rebounds, two blocks, one assist, and one steal, while Matias had an all-around effort of 10 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals.
Figueroa provided 10 points, five rebounds, and one steal, while Corian Cabantog and Natinga chipped in six points each.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
On the other hand, DLSZ registered a breakthrough campaign in Season 88 in head coach Gian Nazario’s first year at the helm, finishing in fourth place to secure the program’s best placing since Season 79 (2016).
It marked a significant achievement for the Junior Archers, which broke a nine-year Final Four drought after suffering three consecutive sixth-place finishes from Seasons 85 to 87.
Dabao left it all on the court in his final game with DLSZ, finishing with 23 points on 8-of-19 shooting, five assists, four rebounds, one steal, and one block.
Ferrer finished with 17 points, four rebounds, one steal, and one block, while Nigerian center Yusuf Mikailu supplied a near double-double of nine points, 12 rebounds, and one block.
Borrero added eight points, five steals, two rebounds, and two assists.
The Junior Archers, who will now partake in the 2026 Smart-NBTC National Finals, will also bid farewell to Borrero, Mikailu, Kio Favis, and Champ Arejola.
The Scores:
NUNS (75) – Diakite 14, Cartel 13, Lucido 11, M. Matias 10, Figueroa 10, Cabantog 6, Natinga 6, R. Matias 2, Bouzina 2, Juan 1.
DLSZ (70) – Dabao 23, Ferrer 17, Mikailu 9, Borrero 8, Arejola 4, Favis 3, Atienza 2, Ja. Alpapara 2, Jo. Alpapara 2, Llamas 0.
Quarterscores: 17-21, 33-38, 54-54, 75-70.
