Bullpups nip Baby Tamaraws in UAAP high school basketball encounter

c/o UAAP Media Team

UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Basketball Standings

NUNS 8-0

UST 7-1

FEU-D 5-3

ADU 4-4

UE 4-4

DLSZ 3-5

Ateneo 1-7

UPIS 0-8

Games on Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre

8 a.m. – UST vs Ateneo (Girls)

10 a.m. – AdU vs NUNS (Boys)

12 noon – DLSZ vs UPIS (Boys)

2 p.m. – FEU-D vs Ateneo (Boys)

4 p.m. – UST vs UE (Boys)

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY Nazareth School had to dig deep to secure its eighth straight win in the UAAP Season 87 High School Boys’ Basketball Tournament, narrowly escaping Far Eastern University-Diliman, 59-57, on Thursday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

The Bullpups improved to 8-0, maintaining their hold on the top spot, while the Baby Tamaraws suffered their second consecutive loss, dropping to 5-3 and falling to third place.

With reigning MVP Collins Akowe anchoring the defense, NU went on an 8-0 run that bridged the third and fourth quarters, transforming a slim 41-37 lead into a more comfortable 49-37 cushion.

However, the Baby Tamaraws refused to back down, trimming the deficit to just two, 59-57, with 27 seconds left after a basket from Sam Hall.

FEU had one final opportunity to either tie or win the game after forcing a defensive stop. Cabs Cabonilas, the leading local player in the statistical points race after the first round, had the ball in his hands but hesitated too long before attempting a floater that missed as time expired.

It was NUNS' second close win as it fended off a late University of the East rally to pull off a 78-77 squeaker at the close of the first round.

“Hats off sa FEU, ang ganda ng gameplan nila. Eto yung sinasabi ko sa mga bata na mahirap manalo sa second round. Na-test yung maturity namin. Thankful pa rin na binigay sa amin yung panalo but we are not yet satisfied. Still, we’ll take this win,” said Bullpups head coach Kevin de Castro.

“For sure, we can’t be like this sa next games namin,” he added, acknowledging that NU must step up against defending champion Adamson Baby Falcons on Sunday.

Akowe continued his dominance with his eighth double-double of the season, finishing with 21 points, 24 rebounds, and two blocks.

Earlier in the day, the league announced that only Filipino players are eligible to win the MVP award. Akowe, who leads the SP race after the first round, took the news in stride.

“My thoughts on this is, there’s a reason for everything. I’m meant to play basketball. The goal is not the MVP — the goal is to win the championship for Nazareth School. It is what it is,” said the 19-year-old Nigerian, who remains in contention for the league’s first-ever Best Foreign Student-Athlete award.

Jid Locsin, Macmac Alfanta, and Migs Palanca contributed nine points each, with Locsin also tallying seven rebounds and six assists, while Palanca registered three blocks.

On the other side, Marc Burgos led the Baby Tamaraws with 19 points. Liam Salangsang added 14, and Cabonilas chipped in 10 points and seven rebounds. However, the trio combined for a cold 14-of-42 shooting performance.

In the earlier game, University of Santo Tomas extended its winning streak to seven after overpowering De La Salle-Zobel, 76-58.

Koji Buenaflor starred for the Tiger Cubs, shooting an efficient 11-of-14 from the field for 23 points while also grabbing six rebounds.

It was a tale of two halves for UST. After a tightly contested first half, the Tiger Cubs pulled away with a dominant 24-11 third quarter and led by as much as 21, 72-51, late in the game.

“First half medyo tight kami baka dahil sa break yun. Narinig nila yung ‘magic’ namin at nagising naman sila nung last two quarters,” said second-year UST head coach Manu Inigo.

“Nung second half, satisfied kami. Sabi ko nga nung halftime, ‘hindi tayo yan at hindi tayo mananalo pag yan ang nilalaro natin.’”

Cameroonian forward Racine Kane added 14 points and 10 rebounds for UST.

“To be honest, kulang pa. Hindi pa kami nagkakasabay na maganda ang laro. Hopefully, pagdating ng mga importanteng laro, magkasabaysabay na kami,” Inigo admitted, noting that Carl Manding, Charles Bucsit, and Joaquin Ludovice struggled in the contest.

Meanwhile, the Junior Archers suffered their fourth straight defeat, falling a game behind Adamson and University of the East—both of which picked up wins earlier in the four-day slate.

The Baby Falcons edged Ateneo de Manila University, 58-57, bouncing back from their previous loss to NU, while the Junior Warriors dominated the University of the Philippines Integrated School Fighting Maroons, 85-72, for their second straight win.

With these results, both Adamson and UE improved to 4-4 in the standings.

The Baby Falcons had to grind out their victory, relying on a clutch free throw and a crucial defensive stand to thwart Ateneo’s upset bid.

“Nahirapan talaga kami. Problema kasi namin, we are so erratic—especially the bigs,” lamented Adamson head coach Mike Fermin. “Yung bigs namin, we need production from them. Etong guards, given na yan.”

The Scores:

First Game (Boys)

ADU 58 - Esperanza 13, Medina 12 , Abayon 12, Perez 12, Sajili 4, Umali 3, Decatoria 2, De Jesus 0, Tumaneng 0, Artango 0, Matiliano 0.

Ateneo 57 - Urbina 12, Leal 12, Lagdamen 11, Tan 9, Gatmaitan 9, Delos Santos 2, Lacsamana 2, Asistio 0, Reyes 0, Silvestre 0, Ymasa 0.

Quarterscores: 12-16, 26-33, 42-41, 58-57.

Second Game (Boys)

UE 85 - Sabroso 14, Alejandro 12, Lagat 9, Bana 9, Timbol 6, Almanza 6, Lorenzo 5, Bual 5, Diaz 4, Diaz 4, Aguas 4, Cuevas 4, Dahino 4, Farochilen 4, Abellar 1, Chua 0, Roquid 0.

UPIS 72 - Egea 18, Tubongbanua 18, Melicor 15, Gomez de Liano 12, Hallare 6, Coronel 1, Uvero 0, Poquiz 0, Hernandez 0, Cobico 0, Pascual 0

Quartercores: 26-19, 47-36, 68-49, 85-72.

Third Game (Boys)

UST 76 - Buenaflor 23, Kane 14, Manding 9, Esteban 8, Acido 7, Bucsit 6, Ludovice 5, Canete 2, Cinco 2, Solon 0, Bohol 0, Javier 0, Bandingan 0, Vidanes 0.

DLSZ 58 - Alas 20, Dabao 11, Daja 8, Atienza 7, Espinosa 4, Gubat 3, Dimayuga 3, Borrero 2, Arejola 0, Alpapara Jo. 0, Reguera 0, Lopez 0, Mben 0, Tailan 0, Favis 0, Alpapara Ja. 0.

Quarterscores: 20-17, 36-35, 60-46, 76-58.

Fourth Game (Boys)

NUNS 59 - Akowe 21, Locsin 8, Alfanta 8, Palanca 8, Cartel 5, Matias 5, Napa 2, Nepacena 2, Usop 0, Figueroa 0, Solomon 0, Pillado 0.

FEU-D 57 - Burgos 19, Salangsang 14, Cabonilas 10, Raneses 8, Godoy 4, Hall 2, Gemao 0, Pascual 0, De Guzman 0, Santos 0, Castillejos 0.

Quarterscores: 20-8, 29-27, 46-37, 59-57.