University of the East was desperate for a spark.
Reeling from a three-game skid filled with heartbreakers—including a double-overtime gut-punch against FEU-Diliman and a one-point defeat to the league-leading NUNS—UE needed someone to rise and lead.
Head coach Karl Santos had a simple but powerful message heading into their final first-round game against De La Salle Zobel in the UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Basketball Tournament:
“Work like a servant, but lead like a king.”
Ethan Aguas took those words to heart.
With top scorers Edry Alejandro and Kristoper Lagat struggling, the 6-foot-4 forward from Tarlac seized the moment, delivering a dominant fourth-quarter performance to lift UE past DLSZ, 56-51, on Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Aguas, a 6-foot-4 forward from Tarlac and a standout from UE’s inaugural 16-and-under team last year, took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 of his 16 points while adding seven rebounds. His late-game heroics helped the Junior Warriors improve to a 3-4 record, tying Adamson and DLSZ for fourth place.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
Trailing 36-37 entering the final frame, Aguas spearheaded UE’s 16-5 run, giving them a 52-42 advantage with 3:25 remaining. Though DLSZ managed to cut the lead to 52-48 with 1:49 left, Aguas sealed the victory by sinking three clutch free throws.
“Triniplehan ko lang yung effort at tsaka yung lagi sinasabi ng Coach Karl sa akin na work like a servant, but lead like a king. Masaya na nakacontribute ako in other aspects of the game, pero I’m hoping na nagshine yung leadership and pagiging vocal ko in our win kasi ‘yon kailangan namin lalo’t na we’re adopting a do-or-die mindset,” Aguas told Tiebreaker Times.
“Kahit sabihin ko na mataas na yung kumpyansa ko ngayon, mas tataasan ko pa yung effort ko and makikinig ako sa mga coaches at sa mga pinapagawa nila,” he added.
Santos echoed Aguas’ hunger for growth, acknowledging the vast room for improvement the 17-year-old forward still has as he looks to lead the Junior Warriors back to the Final Four.
Aguas, who averaged 9.14 points and 5.43 rebounds in the first round, will be a key piece in UE’s pursuit of ending its decades-long Final Four drought.
“Very crucial sa amin si Ethan pero marami pa siya kailangan trabahuin. Ako, wala ako problema with Ethan when it comes to down-the-wire games and being a fighter, pero bata pa ito ‘eh. I know na yung mga pagkakamali niya nung huli, matutunan din niya ‘yon. Hindi naman ako yung tipong coach na may mataas na expectations agad, at the end of the day, I’m realistic. Pero I know matututo rin siya sa mga mistakes na ‘yon,” Santos said of Aguas.
