Rowie Cabañero registered a triple-double as University of Santo Tomas snapped Far Eastern University-Diliman’s three-game winning streak, 92-82, in the UAAP Season 88 Junior High School Basketball Tournament on Wednesday morning at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
With Prince Cariño sidelined due to illness — after averaging 22.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game through five outings — the Tiger Cubs leaned on Cabañero’s all-around brilliance.
The 5-foot-6 guard from Mahaplag, Leyte finished with 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and two steals to secure UST’s second straight win.
Earlier, University of the East’s Zion Aguilar almost achieved the same feat as well. He tallied 23 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, sparking their 89-66 rout of De La Salle-Zobel to return to the win column.
UST’s and UE’s victories created a four-way tie for second with Adamson University, and FEU-D, all holding 4-2 records.
National University Nazareth School remains atop the standings with a perfect 6-0 slate.
Cabañero’s triple-double marked the season’s second and the fifth overall since the tournament’s Season 86 debut, following Clark Khobuntin’s 17 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals, and one block in NU Nazareth School’s 93-82 victory over Adamson last Wednesday, October 8, also at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“Rinemind ko sa kanila kanina nung sinabi na wala yung Cariño, sinamantala namin habang wala yung Cariño. Kailangan namin talunin talaga sila for positioning sa standings. Swerte kami na wala yung top scorer nila,” UST head coach Noli Mejos said.
After a Kyle Mojica layup gave the Baby Tamaraws a slim 55-53 lead in the third quarter, the Tiger Cubs unleashed a dominant 22-6 run. They finished with two Miguel Jubilado layups and an inside hit from Cabañero to enter the final period with a 14-point cushion at 75-61.
FEU-D mounted a late rally as an Andrei Chavez triple and a Dwyne Enriquez and-one layup cut the deficit to 82-75. But a layup from Dats Datu and a booming Cabañero triple restored UST’s 87-75 lead with 2:42 remaining, sealing the win.
Other notable contributions for UST included Jubilado, who tallied a 24-point, 10-rebound double-double; and CJ Tabbuga, who scored all 18 of his points in the first half along with four rebounds and two steals.
Gab Castro also added 11 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two blocks.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
After a disappointing overtime loss to Adamson University last Saturday, Aguilar bounced back in spectacular fashion, scoring 18 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter on 6-of-9 three-point shooting.
“We came from a heartbreaking loss against Adamson so talagang nag-regroup kami. When we went to practice, kinausap ko sila ng masinsinan, we had a meeting and then after that, naging mindset na lang namin na kalimutan na ‘yon and bumawi sa La Salle, and we did,” UE head coach Matthew Sia said.
The Junior Warriors got off to a blistering 22-7 start and led by as many as 23 points in the second quarter at 34-11.
DLSZ mounted a 23-8 run that cut the deficit to 42-34 midway through the third. UE steadied itself at 55-44 before Aguilar, James Mesa, and Mark Perdigon carried the team while Okebata dealt with his fourth foul with 9:14 left in the fourth.
Three triples by Aguilar, a four-point spurt by Mesa, and an inside basket from Perdigon pushed UE to a 21-point lead at 74-53 with less than four minutes remaining, clinching their fourth win in six games.
Goodluck Okebata battled through the flu and foul trouble, still finishing with 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting, 16 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.
Perdigon contributed 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting with six rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
Jaden Roxas added 10 points, while Sean Felizmenia chipped in nine points, four rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.
For FEU-D, Enriquez led the charge in Cariño’s absence with 24 points, five rebounds, four steals, and three assists, while Chavez had 18 points and nine rebounds with one steal.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
For DLSZ, John Mindanao scored 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting with four steals, two rebounds, and two assists.
Meanwhile, Wayne Rivera and Jullian Panga added 12 points each, as the Junior Archers remain winless through six games.
The Scores:
First Game:
UE (89) – Aguilar 23, Okebata 20, Perdigon 12, Roxas 10, Felizmenia 9, Mallabo 8, Mesa 6, Mercado 1, Delos Santos 0, Ancheta 0, Pontipedra 0.
DLSZ (66) – Mindanao 24, Rivera 12, Pangan 12, E. Purugganan 8, I. Purugganan 4, Dizon 4, Mercado 2, Asis 0, Sy 0, Meloto 0, Delos Reyes 0.
Quarterscores: 22-7, 40-27, 58-44, 89-66.
Second Game:
UST (92) – Jubilado 24, Tabbuga 18, Cabanero 17, Castro 11, Regala 7, Anggot 6, Datu 5, Retaga 3, Villacarlos 1, Guinto 0.
FEU-D (82) – Enriquez 24, Chavez 18, Mampao 14, Mojica 11, Barlan 4, Maghinay 4, Desiderio 1, Canete 1, Isip 1, Pineda 1, Calma 0.
Quarterscores: 16-22, 44-44, 75-61, 92-82.
