UAAP set to crown its HS Boys Basketball champion

c/o UAAP Media Team

Game Thursday at the Filoil Ecooil Centre

12 p.m. - NUNS vs UST

AFTER months of grueling battles and two hard-fought finals games, it all comes down to this—one final showdown to determine the princes of UAAP Season 87 high school boys’ basketball.

National University Nazareth School and University of Santo Tomas collide in a do-or-die Game 3 today (Thursday) at the Filoil EcoOil Centre, with everything on the line.

The Bullpups are gunning for their ninth overall title, while the Tiger Cubs are aiming to reclaim their throne with what would be their 12th championship in the division—ending a 24-year title drought in the process.

The high-stakes matchup at noon will feature a tactical battle between two of the brightest young coaches in the game—Bullpups mentor Kevin De Castro and Tiger Cubs tactician Manu Iñigo.

NUNS took the series opener, 77-70, on March 13 before UST forced a decider a week later with an 89-85 escape.

For De Castro—top protégé of Bulldogs head coach Jeff Napa—the key for the Bullpups is returning to the form that powered their dominant 13-0 start to the season.

"Sa amin siguro, like I said before the season started, we are here to learn and compete as a team,” he said. “We’ll take the win, pero mas tinitingnan namin ito sa growth and improvements—both individually and as a team.

“Yes, we’re in the finals, and it's a winner-takes-all match, pero susubukan lang naming gawin ang mga bagay na ginawa namin throughout the year."

Meanwhile, Iñigo—who previously led San Beda to the NCAA Season 95 title—knows Game 3 will come down to sheer determination.

“Well, kahit na ano pang sabihin namin ngayon, sabi ko nga, yung Game 3, diyan magkakaalaman who really wants it more, diba,” said Iñigo, now in his second year as the Tiger Cubs' head coach.

“Hindi pwedeng sinasabi lang namin na mas gusto namin, yun din sinabi ko sa kanila nung Game 2 na kailangan tayo mismo, we do it with our actions. So, walang statement win or anything, focus lang kami sa isang game na natitira,” he added, recalling how his San Beda squad triumphed over Lyceum-Cavite in the 2019 NCAA finals.

NUNS will once again lean on Best Foreign Student-Athlete Collins Akowe, who has been a dominant force, averaging 26.0 points and 24.0 rebounds per game in the series.

De Castro is also banking on his seniors—Migs Palanca, Chad Cartel, and Macmac Alfanta—to step up on both ends of the floor.

"Kailangan lang naming mag-adjust sa defense namin kasi we gave up 89 points sa UST—siguro iyon ang isang bagay na kailangan naming i-improve. Kailangan din naming mag-start strong, maglaro nang maayos at consistent buong game kung gusto talaga naming makuha ang championship this season,” De Castro added, aiming to lead NUNS to its first high school boys’ title since Season 82 (2020).

On the other side, UST will be led by Koji Buenaflor, the 6-foot-7 big man from Pampanga, who has been averaging 19.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in the series.

Racine Kane, who struggled in Game 2 with just five points and three rebounds after an explosive 25-point, 12-rebound performance in the opener, will also look to bounce back.

Buenaflor, along with Carl Manding and Charles Bucsit, hopes to cap off his high school career with a championship.

“Ayun, syempre I’m very proud and happy sa pinakita ng boys. Nag-mamature na sila, na-gegets na nila kung ano yung tamang basketball but again, sabi ko nga, job’s not done, we have one more game to prepare. And yun, tignan natin,” said Iñigo.

FEU extends UE's volleyball woes

c/o UAAP Media team

UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Standings

Team W-L

NU 8-1

FEU 6-3

UST 5-3  

DLSU 5-3

UP 4-5

AdU 3-5

Ateneo 3-5

UE 0-9

Games on Saturday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum

9 a.m. – DLSU vs UST (Men)

11 a.m. – Ateneo vs AdU (Men)

1 p.m. – Ateneo vs AdU (Women)

5 p.m. – DLSU vs UST (Women)

Far Eastern University showcased its depth and composure, sweeping the University of the East, 25-20, 25-20, 25-23, to claim the provisional second spot in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan on Wednesday night.

The Lady Tamaraws improved to 6-3, securing solo second place, just two games behind the NU Lady Bulldogs (8-1), who suffered their first loss earlier in the day against the UP Fighting Maroons.

Idle teams De La Salle University and the University of Santo Tomas are close behind at 5-3, currently in third and fourth place. They will face off on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Coach Tina Salak expressed her respect for the Lady Warriors, who challenged them in the second and third sets.

“Expected naman na lalaban ang UE kasi hindi naman nababago ang spirit ng UE pagdating sa games. Eventually, nagkakaroon naman kami ng adjustments, nakakasunod naman ang players. Sa game, nakuha naman namin yung gusto naming win but syempre may opportunities pa rin na namimiss namin,” said FEU head coach Tina Salak.

("We expected UE to put up a fight because their competitive spirit never wavers during games. Eventually, we made the necessary adjustments, and the players kept up. We achieved the win we wanted, but of course, there were still opportunities we missed.")

Similar to the second set, the Lady Warriors started strong in the third, building a 13-8 lead. However, FEU’s depth and composure allowed them to regain control, closing out the match in straight sets after 94 minutes.

UE was within striking distance at 19-21 in the second set, but Jazlyn Ellarina delivered three of FEU’s final four points to secure the 25-20 win.

In the third set, Khy Cepada and Van Bangayan continued to fight for the Lady Warriors, tying the score at 23. However, Gerzel Petallo and Chenie Tagaod responded with back-to-back kills to seal the victory for FEU.

"Ako po kasi since day one tiwala talaga sa sistema kasi laging sinasabi ni coach na kapag gumawa ka ng sarili mong diskarte na wala sa sistema, mawawala ka eh. So ibinabalik lang namin yung sarili namin sa pinagensayuhan namin and everything will follow,” said Ellarina, who led the game with 17 points on 12 attacks, three aces, and two blocks.

(“Since day one, I have trusted our system because coach always reminds us that if we deviate from it and try to improvise on our own, we’ll lose our rhythm. So we just stick to what we’ve practiced, and everything follows.")

Petallo and Tagaod contributed 15 points each, with Petallo adding 15 digs and eight receptions, while Tagaod recorded 11 receptions.

Rookie setter Karyll Miranda also played a key role, tallying 17 excellent sets off the bench.

FEU will next face a stunned NU squad on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Meanwhile, UE remains winless after nine outings and is now on the brink of elimination. The Lady Warriors will take on a surging UP team on Sunday at the Big Dome.

Cepada finished with 13 points, 11 digs, and eight receptions, while Bangayan contributed 10 points.

Lone libero Angelica Reyes also recorded 17 excellent digs and nine excellent receptions.

FEU extends winning streak to nine in men's volleyball

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 Men’s Volleyball Standings

Team W-L
FEU 9-0
NU 7-2
DLSU 5-3
Ateneo 5-3
UST 4-4
AdU 2-6
UP 2-7
UE 0-9

Games on Saturday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum

9 a.m. – DLSU vs UST (Men)
11 a.m. – Ateneo vs AdU (Men)
1 p.m. – Ateneo vs AdU (Women)
5 p.m. – DLSU vs UST (Women)

A spectator in National University’s first loss of the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament just a game before theirs, Far Eastern University made sure to avoid the same fate in the men’s division.

The Tamaraws withstood a third set hiccup by the winless University of the East Red Warriors, taking a 25-19, 25-17, 23-25, 25-18 victory to stay undefeated in the UAAP men’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

FEU’s unbeaten run is now currently at 9-0 with reigning champion NU as its next opponent on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“Yung second round talaga, lahat ng teams pupukpok para makuha ‘yung match syempre. ‘Yung third set namin medyo talagang malayo lang ang score kaya ang hirap habulin. Buti nakapag cope up kami nung fourth set,” said Tamaraws head coach Eddieson Orcullo.

The Tamaraws erased a 19-12 deficit in the third set by the Red Warriors, inching within 23-24, but Isaiah Roca’s off-the-block hit extended the match for UE.

FEU was not to be denied in the fourth frame though as Doula Ndongala and Dryx Saavedra linked up for a 8-2 finisher for the win in one hour and 56 minutes.

“I want to thank my coaches for giving me the opportunity to play. We should not stop despite our undefeated record, we need to focus more this second round,” said the Congolese middle blocker Ndongala, who had a team-high 14 points on nine spikes, four blocks, and an ace.

Ariel Cacao steered the Tamaraws’ offense with 21 excellent sets as Saavedra and Lirick Mendoza made 13 points apiece.

Mikko Espartero also tallied 12 points and 13 excellent receptions in the win.

This ninth loss by the Red Warriors pushed them on the brink of elimination at 0-9. This is also their 16th straight defeat dating back to the second round of Season 86.

New starters Xjhann Camaymayan and Isaiah Roca led UE’s uprising with 15 points each while Raquim Aceron added 11 points and 34 excellent receptions.

UE continues its pursuit of the elusive first win on Sunday as well against University of the Philippines.

NU claims first round sweep in UAAP baseball

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 Baseball Standings

NU       5-0
DLSU     3-2
AdU      2-2
UP       2-2
UST      1-4
Ateneo   1-4

JHERICK Timban delivered in the clutch to help National University complete a first-round sweep of the UAAP Season 87 Baseball tournament, outlasting De La Salle University, 11-7, in 10 innings on Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Malate, Manila.

Timban, a product of Dasmariñas Integrated High School, shut down the Green Batters in the final three innings—including the crucial ninth and tenth—to lead the reigning champions to a flawless 5-0 record. This marks the first time a team has swept the first round since the tournament returned in Season 85 two years ago.

After NU plated four runs in the top of the 10th inning, Timban took control on the mound, striking out two straight batters across the ninth and tenth innings to snuff out any hopes of a La Salle comeback.

He stranded Dustine Rebustillo, the runner on second, after fanning Luke Villacruz and Miguel Agoncillo in succession. Catcher Kent Altarejos then put the game to bed after three hours and 20 minutes, securing the final out with a catch on Yuan Sumague’s foul ball to seal the Bulldogs’ victory.

"Actually, halos lahat ng laro namin sobrang dikit. This just showed how mature the boys are and kung gaano kalaki 'yung puso nila sa laro. 'Yun ang mahalaga sa amin bilang coaches—makita sa kanila 'yung gano'ng attitude, lalo na sa endgame, sa mga ganitong tightly contested na laban," said NU head coach Romar Landicho, praising his team’s championship composure.

("Actually, almost all of our games have been very close. This just showed how mature the boys are and how big their hearts are for the game. That’s what’s important to us as coaches—to see that kind of attitude in them, especially in the endgame of tightly contested matches.")

"Siguro, bigyan ko rin ng credit 'yung mga assistant coaches ko at lahat ng nasa coaching staff. Ang mahalaga, maipakita sa mga bata na sa bawat pagkakataon sa laro, kailangan nilang ma-boost ang morale nila. At 'yun naman ang ginagawa ng buong coaching staff," added the second-year NU tactician.

("Maybe I should also give credit to my assistant coaches and the entire coaching staff. What matters most is making sure the players understand that in every game, their morale needs to be boosted. And that’s exactly what the coaching staff has been doing.")

NU built a commanding 7-1 lead in the first six innings, with their top batters making an impact. Kiel Olazo, Altarejos, and Kenneth Maulit got their bats going early, putting the Bulldogs in a comfortable position.

However, La Salle refused to back down, slowly chipping away at NU’s six-run cushion. The Green Batters mounted a furious comeback, tying the game at seven runs apiece by the end of the seventh inning.

Tuting Samuel led the charge, collecting two of his three hits during La Salle’s sixth-and-seventh-inning rally. Meanwhile, the De Vera brothers, Liam and Lord Aragorn, combined for two hits to help push across six runs in those crucial frames.

Liam, the younger of the De Vera siblings, finished with five RBIs in the game. But under pressure in the extra inning, he struggled on the mound after taking over from his elder brother and Barry Oñas, ultimately falling short against the surging Bulldogs.

Two straight hits from the Maulit twins, Kenneth and Kevin, sparked the four-run binge from the reigning champions before Julius Cesar Soriano drove in a double to the left field that sealed the final score.

Samuel took the final outs to stop the bleeding for the Green Batters, but the lead was enough for the Bulldogs to complete the first round sweep.

Teams 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
NU 0 2 2 0 1 2 0 0 0 4 11 14 3
DLSU 0 0 0 1 0 3 3 0 0 0 7 10 2

UP spoils NU undefeated campaign

c/o UAAP Media Team

Games on Saturday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum

9 a.m. – DLSU vs UST (Men)
11 a.m. – Ateneo vs AdU (Men)
1 p.m. – Ateneo vs AdU (Women)
5 p.m. – DLSU vs UST (Women)

UNIVERSITY of the Philippines pulled off the biggest upset of the season, ending National University’s undefeated run in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Volleyball Tournament with a hard-fought 26-24, 23-25, 17-25, 25-23, 15-12 come-from-behind victory on Wednesday afternoon at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Reeling from a narrow five-set defeat to the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles last Saturday, the Fighting Maroons banked on the 30-point explosion of middle blocker Nina Ytang to rise to solo fifth place in the eight-team field with a 4-5 card, breaking the previous three-way tie they had with the Blue Eagles and the Adamson University Lady Falcons.

Ytang became the first middle blocker across all eight teams to score at least 30 points since National University legend Jaja Santiago’s 30-point performance in a five-set loss to University of Santo Tomas last April 8, 2017. She was also two points away from matching the UP women’s volleyball scoring record of Tots Carlos last February 28, 2018.

More importantly, Ytang’s heroics allowed the Fighting Maroons to snap a seven-year, nine-game losing streak against NU, a drought that stretched back to Season 81 in 2019. The last time the Fighting Maroons defeated the Lady Bulldogs was in the second round of Season 80 on April 4, 2018.

“Speechless ako. Bilog talaga ang bola. Binigay lang namin talaga lahat ‘eh. Sabi nga namin nung fifth set, dito na, malayo na tayo, kaya bakit pa tayo susuko? Linaban lang talaga namin, tulungan at tiyaga lang sa loob ng court,” the 23-year-old middle blocker said.

In a back-and-forth fifth set affair, the Lady Bulldogs slowly began to gain the upper hand as two consecutive blocks from Sheena Toring and Alyssa Solomon gave NU a slim 12-11 lead.

However, UP displayed incredible poise under pressure against the defending champions, uncorking a crucial 4-0 run behind a net touch error and an attack error from Solomon, a quick hit from Ytang, and an off-the-block attack from Joan Monares to seal the stunning victory in two hours and 35 minutes.

“Mabilis lang din talaga magadjust yung mga players sa instructions. Of course, we tried to minimize yung output ng NU. So far, nagwork kasi tulong-tulong talaga sila ‘eh, simula sa service, galing sa block, hanggang sa depensa. Tiniyaga nila. Nung medyo natalo tayo, sobrang down talaga ng energy, pero buti nakabangon,” Fighting Maroons head coach Benson Bocboc said.

Ytang received ample support from Monares’ 16 points, eight excellent digs, and eight excellent receptions, while Irah Jaboneta achieved a triple-double of 10 points on eight attacks, one block, and one ace with 19 excellent receptions and 13 excellent digs.

Kianne Olango and Bienne Bansil -- who both hail from NU’s girls’ volleyball program -- also played pivotal parts in the win by scoring 10 points each against their high school alma mater.

Jaz Manguilimot tossed 17 excellent sets, while Yesha Capistrano contributed 11 excellent digs and seven excellent receptions for the Fighting Maroons.

UP looks to continue its winning ways against a winless University of the East squad come Sunday, March 30, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Meanwhile, NU’s nine-game winning streak came to an end, dropping them to an 8-1 record ahead of a crucial showdown against Far Eastern University on the same day and venue.

MVP frontrunner Bella Belen paced the Lady Bulldogs in the losing effort with a triple-double effort of 21 points on 16 attacks and five aces with 13 excellent digs and 12 excellent receptions, while Solomon tallied 19 points on 15 attacks, three blocks, and one ace with nine excellent digs.

Vange Alinsug contributed 16 points on 12 attacks, three aces, and one block with eight excellent digs and eight excellent receptions, while Erin Pangilinan chipped in 11 points on eight attacks and three blocks in the loss.

Kobe Torres anchors UP victory over UST

c/o UAAP Media Team

KOBE Torres anchored University of the Philippines' defense in a much-needed 7-2 victory over University of Santo Tomas, securing their second win in the UAAP Season 87 Baseball tournament on Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Baseball Stadium in Malate, Manila.

Having learned a tough lesson from their suspended game against Adamson University last Sunday, where they squandered a sizable lead, the Fighting Maroons tightened up on defense to improve to an even 2-2 record, tying Adamson for third place.

"Every time na kinakausap namin 'tong mga 'to, motivation lang eh. Tulad na nangyari nga no'n na ang laki ng lead, parang naging confident sila na mananalo na. Dapat hindi gano'n ang attitude ng team. Ang dapat, start strong and finish strong; at nakita ko naman from the start up to the finish, nag-step up na rin," said UP head coach Iking Jimenez.

("Every time we talk to these guys, it's all about motivation. Like what happened before when we had a big lead, they became too confident that we had already won. That shouldn’t be the team's mindset. The right approach is to start strong and finish strong; and I saw that from start to finish, they stepped up.")

"Sana magtuluy-tuloy pa rin—na hangga't hindi pa tapos ang game, hangga't hindi pa tapos ang three outs, walang kampante gaano man kalaki ang lead."

("I hope this continues—that until the game is over, until the final three outs are recorded, there’s no complacency, no matter how big the lead is.")

And this time, with Torres at the helm, the Fighting Maroons made sure to secure the final three outs to claim the hard-earned win.

Torres, a national team standout, kept UST at bay with precise pitching, allowing the defense to clean up the outs with ease. Third baseman Axl Vispo set the tone by catching a foul fly ball from Ybbrahim Degollacion. Left fielder Daniel Badrina followed with a catch on Sean De Leon’s drive.

UST managed to get a runner on base after Mhigeil Cerda drew a walk, but UP captain Ian Mercado put the game away with a catch on yet another fly ball from Steven Dominguez.

Torres, a third-year pitcher from the First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities, delivered a stellar no-relief outing, limiting the Golden Sox to just seven hits and one earned run while stranding eight UST runners.

The Fighting Maroons complemented their defensive effort with a strong offensive showing, racking up 11 hits. Last season’s Rookie of the Year Aaron Nicha and reigning MVP Mercado led the charge with three hits and one RBI each, while Torres contributed two hits of his own.

Meanwhile, UST closed the first round with a 1-4 record, tying Ateneo de Manila University for fifth place.

The Golden Sox had a golden opportunity to mount a comeback in the seventh inning when De Leon and Cerda opened with back-to-back hits, leading to a run that trimmed the deficit to five, 2-7.

But Emman Cahilo and Mercado swiftly shut the door, snagging crucial fly balls off the bats of Marquez and Jesus Cabigao to left and center field, respectively, ending the inning and effectively sealing the win.

Cabigao bore the brunt of UP’s early offensive explosion, surrendering five runs off eight hits in four innings before giving way to Prince Harry Geronimo. While Geronimo managed to cool down UP’s bats, allowing just two runs on three hits, UST’s offense failed to provide the needed support, sealing their fate.

Teams 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
UST 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 7 5
UP 3 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 x 7 11 1

NU avoids potential UP upset bid

c/o UAAP Media Team

Games on Saturday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum

9 a.m. – DLSU vs UST (Men)
11 a.m. – Ateneo vs AdU (Men)
1 p.m. – Ateneo vs AdU (Women)
5 p.m. – DLSU vs UST (Women)

DEFENDING UAAP men’s volleyball champion National University regained its winning form, overcoming a first-set setback to defeat University of the Philippines, 23-25, 25-14, 25-20, 25-23, Wednesday morning at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Bouncing back from a four-set loss to the De La Salle University Green Spikers last Sunday, the Bulldogs solidified their hold on solo second place with a 7-2 record. They now enjoy a one-and-a-half-game cushion over third-running Ateneo de Manila University and La Salle, both at 5-3.

The victory also extended NU’s dominance over UP, marking their 13th consecutive win against the Fighting Maroons, dating back to a second-round triumph in Season 78 on March 20, 2016.

“Based sa performance namin sa mga past game namin, lagi kaming naghahabol sa lahat ng game namin,” said NU head coach Dante Alinsunurin. "Wala pa kaming malinis na panalo, talagang pinaghihirapan ng players ko kung paano kami makaestablish ng game.

("Based on our performance in past games, we’ve always been playing catch-up in every match. We haven't had a clean victory yet—my players really have to work hard to establish our game.")

"Sabi ko nga, kung ano ‘man maging situation namin, at least panalo pa rin kami, kung ano ‘man maging challenge namin every game, at least nasusubukan kami."

"As I always say, no matter the situation, at least we’re still winning. Whatever challenges we face each game, at least we’re being tested."

The fourth set saw both teams locked at 17-all before UP briefly took a 20-18 lead behind a running hit from Angelo Lipata and a crosscourt attack from Nigerian wing spiker Olayemi Raheem. However, Leo Ordiales, who was subbed in at 21-22, stepped up to deliver two crucial points as NU sealed its seventh win in nine outings.

Earlier in the match, Michaelo Buddin sparked NU’s third-set surge with three straight points—an offspeed hit followed by back-to-back crosscourt attacks—before Jade Disquitado delivered the final blow, giving the Bulldogs a 2-1 set advantage.

In the second set, NU raced to a commanding 20-13 lead and never looked back, leveling the match at one set apiece. Key contributions came from a block and quick attack by Peng Taguibolos, an ace from Greg Ancheta, and attack errors by Tommy Castrodes and Raheem.

The Fighting Maroons had a strong start, building a six-point lead in the opening set. Though NU clawed back to within 23-22, Raheem’s crosscourt hit and a quick attack from Dan Nicolas allowed UP to strike first.

“Nagfocus lang kami sa blockings tsaka sa pasa. Nagusap-usap lang kami na huwag namin madaliin yung game kasi pag minadali namin yung game, mas lalo kaming nagkakamali at lumalabas yung error namin. Naging composed lang kami,” Disquitado shared.

("We just focused on our blocking and passing. We talked among ourselves and reminded each other not to rush the game because when we do, we tend to make more mistakes and errors come out. We just stayed composed.")

Disquitado powered NU with 22 points on 21 attacks and one block, along with 20 excellent receptions and six excellent digs. Leo Aringo contributed 19 points, while Buddin tallied 17 points on 16 attacks and one ace, adding 11 excellent receptions and nine excellent digs.

Congolese middle blocker Obed Mukaba added 10 points, delivering five attacks, four blocks, and one ace. Taguibolos chipped in seven points, registering five attacks, one block, and one ace.

Ancheta orchestrated the offense with 20 excellent sets and two points, while Jimwell Gapultos provided stability in defense with nine excellent digs and nine excellent receptions.

NU now turns its attention to a crucial matchup against undefeated Far Eastern University on Sunday, March 30, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Meanwhile, the loss dropped UP to solo seventh place in the eight-team standings with a 2-7 record, breaking its previous tie with Adamson University.

Raheem was the lone double-digit scorer for the Fighting Maroons, delivering 26 points on 24 attacks, one block, and one ace, along with six excellent digs. Lipata and Nicolas chipped in seven points each in the losing effort.

Louise Aballe distributed 17 excellent sets and scored four points, while Nino Bersano tallied 14 excellent digs and 10 excellent receptions.

UP will look to snap its two-game skid when it faces winless University of the East on the same date and venue.