University of the East and National University-Nazareth School arranged a showdown for the UAAP Season 86 High School Boys’ title after respective four-set comebacks against Far Eastern University-Diliman and University of Santo Tomas on Friday at the Filoil EcoOil in San Juan City.
The Junior Red Warriors, the winningest team in the UAAP in the said division with 14, secured its first Finals berth since Season 78 with a dethronement of the Baby Tamaraws in four sets, 8-25, 25-21, 25-22, 25-21.
The NUNS Bullpups, who incidentally took that season’s title – their first-ever – at the expense of the then-11-peat UE side stopped the Junior Golden Spikers with the scores of 23-25 25-21, 25-21, 25-17.
Game 1 of the Finals is set for Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the San Juan arena.
UE needed a huge fightback in the third set to turn the tide in their favor before they comfortably took the fourth set and the match – fittingly ending with a booming kill from captain Jan Macam.
“From last year pa, gusto talaga naming mapunta sa Finals pero siguro nakulangan pa kami sa skills nung mga bata. Kaya tinrabaho talaga namin and talagang mino-motivate ko lang ‘yung mga bata. ‘Ilang beses na tayong bronze o podium finish, so sana this year Finals na tayo,” said UE head coach Raffy Mosuela.
After a horrid first set that saw the Recto-based side succumb to the Baby Tamaraws’ defense, Mosuela shuffled his wing hitters.
He put the Season 85 Best Outside Hitter Macam to the opposite side and gave Zyronne Montemayor the cudgels of the left side.
Montemayor, who is in grade 12, did not disappoint and carried the Junior Red Warriors in that crucial third set. Down six at 14-20, the outside hitter helped UE overhaul the deficit.
He scored four points in the closing 11-2 run including a huge kill that clipped the line for the 24th point.
Luis Miguel tried to keep the Baby Tamaraws alive in the said frame, but Macam made his switch to the right side count with a set-clinching block of Kyle Tandoc for the 2-1 advantage.
“Patience lang talaga. Hindi naman nadadaan ‘yan sa biglaan, kailangan alam natin ‘yung situation. Hindi kailangang madaliin nila. Nagkataon rin na ‘yung palitan ko ng tao, OK naman,” Mosuela said on that third-set comeback.
On their part, NUNS leaned on the heady playmaking of reigning Best Setter and captain Jeffe Gallego Jr. to set up the Finals rematch eight years in the making.
One of last season’s top middle blockers Migs Egger lorded it over the net against the opposing centers. Then Gallego finished the job with wingers Kart Lascuña and Kobe Aca-ac drilling in the points in that closing fourth set barrage.
“Medyo nagkaroon lang ng problema kasi may bago kaming in-execute na play, medyo nanggigigil sila and at the same time medyo nalilito pa ‘yung iba to the point na nawala sa focus,” Bullpups head coach Edgar Barroga said.
“Kaya nung second set, sinabihan ko sila na dapat ready na kaming gawin ‘yung plano,” he added.
Unlike in the boys’ division, the girls’ defending champions kept their season alive.
The NUNS Lady Bullpups shook off the disappointing playoff defeat at the hands of the UST Junior Golden Tigresses with a convincing 25-17, 25-19, 25-23 sweep of the FEU Lady Baby Tamaraws.
Davao-born Denesse Daylisan provided the firepower for the three-peat-seeking side, especially in that third set when Clarisse Loresco and FEU-D kept knocking at the doors.
With reigning MVP Kianne Olango finding her touch with back-to-back attacks to answer Loresco’s explosion in the middle, Daylisan eventually closed the match on her terms with yet another kill.
“Sobra kaming masaya kasi na-translate namin ‘yung training namin after that heartbreaking loss to UST. Sobrang frustrating ‘yon eh – even me, I’m so frustrated about that game; so, tinrabaho namin,” said NUNS head coach Norman Miguel.
“Sabi ko lang, ‘Let’s not talk about tactics, skills, but rather let’s prove to ourselves, to the NU community, and the people who are continuously supporting us na we’re going to fight until Finals,” he added.
The Lady Bullpups will take on rivals Junior Golden Tigresses also on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
