Ethan Aguas delivered when it mattered most for University of the East, powering his side to an 88-74 road stunner against league-leading National University Nazareth School to seal their place in the UAAP Season 86 Junior High School Basketball Semifinals on Saturday at the latter’s home gym.
The Junior Warriors avoided any complications with the win, finishing the preliminary round with a 4-2 record to take the third seed in this demonstration event for under-16 student-athletes.
“Siyempre, we are happy. This is very important for our program,” said first-year Junior Warriors head coach Karl Santos, whose squad will enter the semis riding a four-game winning streak. “We also needed this win to forget all the negativity that happened to us during the start of this tournament. I think right now, we are meeting expectations.”
And it was all thanks to the efforts of 16-year-old Ethan Aguas.
Holding a precarious 69-67 lead heading into the final frame, Aguas, a 6-foot-4 forward from Tarlac, took charge, scoring 11 of his 28 big points in the final 10 minutes to pull away for good.
“This is what is expected of him. But in the semifinals, the expectations will be higher, and we hope he delivers,” Santos said about Aguas, who also hauled down 16 rebounds in the contest.
Supporting Aguas were Cebuano floor general Louie Bual (10 points, 6 assists, 4 steals) and Mhico Abellar (10 points on 2 triples).
UE will face the second seed, Far Eastern University-Diliman, in the knockout semis on Saturday, April 27, at Amoranto Arena.
“Now, in the Final Four, it’s back to square one. This win means nothing. We are not going to celebrate this win,” Santos said, also noting that UE lost to FEU-D in the elimination round, 84-82.
Though FEU-D and NUNS ended the round with identical 5-1 records, it was the latter who took the top seed as the Bullpups defeated the Baby Tamaraws during their elimination round encounter, 70-61, last April 10.
The Bullpups were without lead point guard Mot Matias in the contest as he was under the weather.
Shaun Lucido and Chester Tulabut led the way for the Bullpups with 23 and 19 points, respectively.
NUNS will await the winner of the “playoff for fourth” game between University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle-Zobel, which will take place on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m., also at Amoranto.
The Junior Archers finished with an identical 3-3 record with the idle Tiger Cubs after bowing to the Baby Tamaraws, 71-66, earlier in the day.
Prince Carino and Jharred Gutierrez pushed FEU-D to the win, with Carino dropping 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting while Gutierrez tallied a 15-point, 15-rebound double-double.
Three Archers scored in double-figures, with Melvin Talian firing 18 points, Kyean Gubat adding 17, while Kent Atienza chipped in 11 points to go with 16 rebounds.
UST defeated DLSZ in the elims, 78-68, last April 10.
Ateneo High School took its first win to open the day with a 74-61 escape of Adamson University.
Zane Kallos got 22 points and 13 rebounds as the Blue Eagles finished the tournament with a 1-5 record.
The inspired games of Kobe Urbina (12 points, 13 rebounds) and Kirbey Borbon (10 points, 12 rebounds) were not enough to put the young Falcons to the win column.
The Scores:
First Game:
Ateneo 74 – Kallos 22, Tan 14, Aquino 12, Magpoc 8, Santos 6, Lanot 6, Jazul 4, Juangco 2, Molina 0, Ngo 0, De Ocampo 0, Enrique 0.
ADU 61 – Cruz 14, Bariacto 13, Urbina 12, Borbon 10, Liwanag 6, Hall 4, Sambeli 2, Fernandez 0, Pantia 0.
Quarterscores: 11-20, 32-24, 53-40, 74-61.
Second Game:
FEU-D 71 – Carino 19, Gutierrez 15, Pascual 11, Pasinos 7, Dulin 7, Cagurungan 5, Lopez 3, Lopez 2, Dagcutan 2, Miranda 2, Pingris 0, Dongrin 0, Chua 0, Hufano 0.
DLSZ 66 – Tailan 18, Gubat 17, Atienza 11, Cruz 6, Dimayuga 6, Magan 5, Llamas 2, Callanta 1, Echave 0, Dalaten 0, Reyes 0, Arabon 0.
Quarterscores: 26-17, 41-36, 52-50, 71-66.
Third Game:
UE 88 – Aguas 28, Bual 10, Abellar 10, Garcia 9, Mesina 8, Dahino 8, Roquid 6, Bungar 5, Oraa 4.
NUNS 79 – Lucido 23, Tulabut 19, Celiz 12, Quinto 7, Callueng 6, Sison 4, Vitug 4, Sundiang 2, Tolentino 2, Enguio 0, Mejia 0.
Quarterscores: 24-18, 48-48, 69-67, 88-79.
