NATIONAL UNIVERSITY Nazareth School had to dig deep to secure its eighth straight win in the UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Basketball Tournament, narrowly escaping Far Eastern University-Diliman, 59-57, on Thursday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
The Bullpups improved to 8-0, maintaining their hold on the top spot, while the Baby Tamaraws suffered their second consecutive loss, dropping to 5-3 and falling to third place.
With reigning MVP Collins Akowe anchoring the defense, NU went on an 8-0 run that bridged the third and fourth quarters, transforming a slim 41-37 lead into a more comfortable 49-37 cushion.
However, the Baby Tamaraws refused to back down, trimming the deficit to just two, 59-57, with 27 seconds left after a basket from Sam Hall.
FEU had one final opportunity to either tie or win the game after forcing a defensive stop. Cabs Cabonilas, the leading local player in the statistical points race after the first round, had the ball in his hands but hesitated too long before attempting a floater that missed as time expired.
“Hats off sa FEU, ang ganda ng gameplan nila. Eto yung sinasabi ko sa mga bata na mahirap manalo sa second round. Na-test yung maturity namin. Thankful pa rin na binigay sa amin yung panalo but we are not yet satisfied. Still, we’ll take this win,” said Bullpups head coach Kevin de Castro.
“For sure, we can’t be like this sa next games namin,” he added, acknowledging that NU must step up against defending champion Adamson Baby Falcons on Sunday.
Akowe continued his dominance with his eighth double-double of the season, finishing with 21 points, 24 rebounds, and two blocks.
Earlier in the day, the league announced that only Filipino players are eligible to win the MVP award. Akowe, who leads the SP race after the first round, took the news in stride.
“My thoughts on this is, there’s a reason for everything. I’m meant to play basketball. The goal is not the MVP — the goal is to win the championship for Nazareth School. It is what it is,” said the 19-year-old Nigerian, who remains in contention for the league’s first-ever Best Foreign Student-Athlete award.
Jid Locsin, Macmac Alfanta, and Migs Palanca contributed nine points each, with Locsin also tallying seven rebounds and six assists, while Palanca registered three blocks.
On the other side, Marc Burgos led the Baby Tamaraws with 19 points. Liam Salangsang added 14, and Cabonilas chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds. However, the trio combined for a cold 14-of-42 shooting performance.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
In the earlier game, University of Santo Tomas extended its winning streak to seven after overpowering De La Salle-Zobel, 76-58.
Koji Buenaflor starred for the Tiger Cubs, shooting an efficient 11-of-14 from the field for 23 points while also grabbing six rebounds.
It was a tale of two halves for UST. After a tightly contested first half, the Tiger Cubs pulled away with a dominant 24-11 third quarter and led by as much as 21, 72-51, late in the game.
“First half medyo tight kami baka dahil sa break yun. Narinig nila yung ‘magic’ namin at nagising naman sila nung last two quarters,” said second-year UST head coach Manu Inigo.
“Nung second half, satisfied kami. Sabi ko nga nung halftime, ‘hindi tayo yan at hindi tayo mananalo pag yan ang nilalaro natin.’”
Cameroonian forward Racine Kane added 14 points and 10 rebounds for UST.
“To be honest, kulang pa. Hindi pa kami nagkakasabay na maganda ang laro. Hopefully, pagdating ng mga importanteng laro, magkasabaysabay na kami,” Inigo admitted, noting that Carl Manding, Charles Bucsit, and Joaquin Ludovice struggled in the contest.
Meanwhile, the Junior Archers suffered their fourth straight defeat, falling a game behind Adamson and University of the East—both of whom picked up wins earlier in the four-day slate.
The Baby Falcons edged Ateneo de Manila University, 58-57, bouncing back from their previous loss to NU, while the Junior Warriors dominated the University of the Philippines Integrated School Fighting Maroons, 85-72, for their second straight win.
With these results, both Adamson and UE improved to 4-4 in the standings.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
The Baby Falcons had to grind out their victory, relying on a clutch free throw and a crucial defensive stand to thwart Ateneo’s upset bid.
“Nahirapan talaga kami. Problema kasi namin, we are so erratic—especially the bigs,” lamented Adamson head coach Mike Fermin. “Yung bigs namin, we need production from them. Etong guards, given na yan.”
With 4.8 seconds left, Johnrey Abayon drew a foul from Renzo Gatmaitan and had a chance for an and-one play, but Zahir Sajili’s interference by hanging on the net resulted in an offensive violation.
Abayon then split his free throws, giving Ateneo one final chance.
Out of a timeout, Jay-M Leal received the inbound pass but was forced into a turnover by Mark Esperanza as time expired, sealing the win for Adamson.
“Yung bigs namin, talagang absent sila. Sana naman may dalawa o isa sa kanila mag-step up, then we are going to be fine. We are looking for those big guys at sana mag-step up na sila this round,” added Fermin.
Despite Allen Perez’s perfect 4-of-4 shooting for 12 points and eight rebounds, he struggled defensively against Leal, who tallied 12 points and nine boards.
Adamson’s Jireh Tumaneng played just 1:20 minutes in the game.
Esperanza led the Baby Falcons with 13 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and three steals, while Earl Medina contributed 12 points and nine rebounds. Both players logged over 34 minutes on the floor.
Adamson trailed by as much as 12 points, 24-12, in the second quarter before Medina ignited a third-quarter rally, outscoring Ateneo 16-8 in the period to set up their late-game push.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Meanwhile, UE utilized all 16 of its players against UPIS.
With the game out of reach late in the third quarter—UE ahead 68-43—second-year head coach Karl Santos gave his reserves valuable minutes.
“Galing kaming three straight losses tapos ngayon nakuha na namin yung back-to-back wins. Hopefully, maging confidence-booster ito heading into our game against UST,” said Santos.
“Kahit papano, medyo disappointing din kasi we wanted to have a strong finish. I wanted to play my bench sa duluhan with confidence heading nga sa next game namin. Pero again, happy pa rin ako. Panalo naman e,” he added, expressing slight frustration as his third-stringers struggled to maintain their rhythm in the final quarter.
Cebuano guard Lance Sabroso led UE with 14 points, six rebounds, and four assists in 24 minutes, while Edry Alejandro contributed 12 points and five rebounds in just 12 minutes.
Topeng Lagat and Jean Bana added nine points each. All but two UE players—Daniel Chua and Sizco Roquid—got on the scoreboard.
Kieffer Alas recorded a double-double for the Junior Archers with 20 points, while graduating guard Maco Dabao added 11.
Davao native Bonn Daja was limited to just eight points on 3-of-11 shooting with three rebounds, stifled by UST’s defense.
Ateneo, fresh off its breakthrough win last Sunday, was led by Chris Urbina’s 12 points, five assists, four rebounds, and two steals. Lans Lagdamen chipped in 11 points.
UPIS continues to search for its first win, with Ethan Egea and Bruce Tubongbanua leading the charge with 18 points each. Egea, last season’s Rookie of the Year, also had nine rebounds and six assists.
UP legends Javi and Juan Gomez de Liaño, now playing in the Korean Basketball League, were in attendance to support their alma mater and their younger brother, Jaime, who finished with 12 points and eight rebounds before fouling out in the final 30 seconds.
The Scores:
First Game (Boys)
ADU 58 – Esperanza 13, Medina 12 , Abayon 12, Perez 12, Sajili 4, Umali 3, Decatoria 2, De Jesus 0, Tumaneng 0, Artango 0, Matiliano 0.
Ateneo 57 – Urbina 12, Leal 12, Lagdamen 11, Tan 9, Gatmaitan 9, Delos Santos 2, Lacsamana 2, Asistio 0, Reyes 0, Silvestre 0, Ymasa 0.
Quarterscores: 12-16, 26-33, 42-41, 58-57.
Second Game (Boys)
UE 85 – Sabroso 14, Alejandro 12, Lagat 9, Bana 9, Timbol 6, Almanza 6, Lorenzo 5, Bual 5, Diaz 4, Diaz 4, Aguas 4, Cuevas 4, Dahino 4, Farochilen 4, Abellar 1, Chua 0, Roquid 0.
UPIS 72 – Egea 18, Tubongbanua 18, Melicor 15, Gomez de Liano 12, Hallare 6, Coronel 1, Uvero 0, Poquiz 0, Hernandez 0, Cobico 0, Pascual 0
Quartercores: 26-19, 47-36, 68-49, 85-72.
Third Game (Boys)
UST 76 – Buenaflor 23, Kane 14, Manding 9, Esteban 8, Acido 7, Bucsit 6, Ludovice 5, Canete 2, Cinco 2, Solon 0, Bohol 0, Javier 0, Bandingan 0, Vidanes 0.
DLSZ 58 – Alas 20, Dabao 11, Daja 8, Atienza 7, Espinosa 4, Gubat 3, Dimayuga 3, Borrero 2, Arejola 0, Alpapara Jo. 0, Reguera 0, Lopez 0, Mben 0, Tailan 0, Favis 0, Alpapara Ja. 0.
Quarterscores: 20-17, 36-35, 60-46, 76-58.
Fourth Games (Boys)
NUNS 59 – Akowe 21, Locsin 8, Alfanta 8, Palanca 8, Cartel 5, Matias 5, Napa 2, Nepacena 2, Usop 0, Figueroa 0, Solomon 0, Pillado 0.
FEU-D 57 – Burgos 19, Salangsang 14, Cabonilas 10, Raneses 8, Godoy 4, Hall 2, Gemao 0, Pascual 0, De Guzman 0, Santos 0, Castillejos 0.
Quarterscores: 20-8, 29-27, 46-37, 59-57.
