FAR Eastern University-Diliman and University of the East picked up their second win in the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Tournament to share the early lead with De La Salle-Zobel on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Baby Tamaraws, the silver medalists in last season’s inaugural tournament, got some measure of revenge against tormentors National University Nazareth School, 89-71, while the Junior Warriors, bronze medalists in Season 86, walloped the University of the Philippines Integrated School Fighting Maroons with a wire-to-wire 91-44 win.
Six Baby Tamaraws scored in double digits in the contest.
Prince Cariño flirted with a double-double with 14 points and nine rebounds while CP Miranda, son of FEU head of basketball operations Denok, produced 13 points, five rebounds, and four assists.
Mark Dulin, Duke Santos, and Carl Diaz scored 11 points each while Anton Lopez went close to a triple-double with 10 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, to go with two steals.
Despite the big win, FEU legend and current Baby Tamaraws assistant coach Arwind Santos was adamant that his team did not enter the game to seek revenge against NUNS.
“Kami ang motivation namin, ang tinuturo namin sa players, unable ay maibalik namin yung dating depensa ng FEU from backcourt to frontcourt,” said Santos, a two-time UAAP Men’s Basketball Most Valuable Player.
“Kumbaga yung pressure defense namin, yun ang priority namin. It doesn’t matter kung sino yung makakatapat namin. Wala kami dun sa makabawi. Focused kami sa talents at skills ng mga player.”
Picking up from their opening-day victory over the Adamson Baby Falcons, the Baby Tamaraws put up a strong showing in the second half to hand the Bullpups their second loss of the season.
After Yujin Pena brought NUNS within 52-45 off a three-point basket and a free throw, Carl Diaz, CP Miranda, and Denden Enriquez linked up for a 16-5 run that gave FEU-D its biggest lead of 68-50 with 37 seconds left in the contest.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Meanwhile, 14-year-old Filipino-Nigerian Goodluck Okebata—who hails from Iloilo and was discovered on TikTok—led UE to victory with an impressive 17-point, 13-rebound double-double.
“That’s why we recruited him,” said Junior Warriors coach Andrew Estrella on Okebata. “We know his potential. He has a bright future. Alam na niya yun. Hindi ko na siya kailangan i-praise tungkol diyan. He’s a hard worker. Kung ano yung nakikita niyo sa court, times two pa siya sa practices. That’s why he’s like that.”
Neil Garcia contributed 14 points and seven rebounds, Gab Delos Reyes got 12 points and seven rebounds, while Jared Ferreros and Jolo Pascual had 10 points each.
Both NUNS and UPIS fell to 0-2 slates.
Pena led the Bullpups with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists followed by David Sabareza’s 14 points.
Chester Tulabut had 13 points and seven rebounds while Josh Vitug contributed 10 points and nine rebounds.
Dwayne Khobuntin, son of former Bulldog Glenn, seized 10 rebounds to go along with his eight points for NUNS.
Jhustin Hallare (21 points, 8 rebounds) and Bruce Tubongbanua (14 points, 7 rebounds) were the bright spots for UPIS.
The Scores:
First Game:
FEU-D (89) – Cariño 14, Miranda 13, Dulin 11, Santos 11, Diaz 11, Lopez 10, Enriquez 7, Lassiter 4, Pingris 4, Pasinos 2, Victoria 2, Pangilinan 0.
NUNS (71) – Y. Peña 18, Sabereza 14, Tulabut 13, Vitug 10, Khobuntin 8, Urea 5, Reroma 2, Tadeo 1, N. Peña 0, Toring 0.
Quarterscores: 22-17, 40-36, 68-52, 89-71.
Second Game:
UE (91) – Okebata 17, Garcia 14, Delos Reyes 12, Ferreros 10, Pascual 10, Mesina 7, Panganiban 6, Bungar 6, Orca 4, Dalosa 3, Oraa 2.
UPIS (44) – Hallare 21, Tubongbanua 14, Gepitan 4, Addatu 2, Rosete 2, Poquiz 1, Cobico 0, Lugatiman 0, Repane 0, Labao 0.
Quarterscores: 23-9, 39-27, 65-34, 91-44.
