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| c/o UAAP Media Team |
Games Thursday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre
8 a.m. – NUNS vs UE (Boys)
10 a.m. – UST vs Ateneo (Boys)
12 noon – DLSZ vs FEU-D (Boys)
2 p.m. – AdU vs UPIS (Boys)
4 p.m. – NUNS vs UST (Girls)
NATIONAL University Nazareth School extended its unbeaten streak to five games after demolishing the struggling University of the Philippines Integrated School, 90-34, in the UAAP Season 87 High School Boys' Basketball Tournament on Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Reigning MVP Collins Akowe led the Bullpups' charge with his fifth double-double in as many games, recording 21 points, 16 rebounds, and three assists. Mac Alfanta provided solid support, scoring 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting while adding two rebounds, two steals, and one assist in the dominant 56-point victory.
The Akowe-Alfanta duo has been instrumental in NUNS' unbeaten run, steering the Bullpups to a flawless 6-0 record. They now brace for two crucial matchups against fellow contender University of the East and defending champion Adamson University to close their first-round campaign.
“Sabi ko sa kanila, we don’t have to be complacent. Ayaw namin mag-relax kahit hindi pa tapos yung first round. We have to make a statement kasi ang next game namin is UE, one of the contenders, then last game is yung defending champions. Gusto lang namin magkaroon ng magandang springboard,” said NUNS head coach Kevin de Castro.
The Bullpups asserted their dominance early with a 20-7 first-quarter surge, burying UPIS in a 32-point hole, 46-14, by halftime.
That early lead proved to be all NUNS needed as they continued to dominate in the second half, outscoring the Fighting Maroons 44-20, including a 25-8 fourth-quarter blitz to seal their fifth consecutive win.
Six-foot-six center Migs Palanca contributed 13 points, five rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block, while Kurl Figueroa chipped in 11 points, eight rebounds, three steals, and one assist.
Meanwhile, Tom Pillado made his Season 87 debut after serving a four-game suspension, finishing with four assists and three rebounds.
In the other morning game, Mark Esperanza propelled defending champion Adamson University to a hard-fought 56-52 victory over Ateneo de Manila University, snapping a two-game skid.
Esperanza, a 5-foot-11 Gilas Youth guard, flirted with a triple-double, tallying 25 points on 10-of-21 shooting, 14 rebounds, nine assists (all in the first half), and five steals.
The victory ended the Baby Falcons' two-game losing streak—one that included setbacks against contenders UST Tiger Cubs and DLSZ Junior Archers—improving their record to 2-3 for sixth place.
“It’s a hard-earned victory for us. Hats off din sa Ateneo, they played well. But in the end, breaks of the game na lang nangyari ‘eh. Nakapag-capitalize kami doon [and] we were able to score. At least, na-arrest namin yung skid namin at sana dire-diretso na,” said Adamson head coach Mike Fermin.
A floater from Esperanza and a three-pointer from Javi Artango gave the Baby Falcons an eight-point cushion.
However, Ateneo fought back with consecutive triples from Renzo Gatmaitan and Chris Urbina, trimming the deficit to 53-51 with 6:18 remaining.
Down the stretch, Adamson held its ground with clutch free throws and crucial defensive stops.
With 1:58 left, Esperanza and Ziv Espinas exchanged free throws, setting the score at 54-52. Ateneo had chances to tie or take the lead, but Jay-M Leal missed two crucial inside shots, the latter blocked by Earl Medina.
Despite a 24-second shot clock violation by Adamson, the Blue Eagles failed to capitalize, with Leal and Espinas missing layups and Gatmaitan misfiring on a potential go-ahead three-pointer with less than 10 seconds left.
Gabe de Jesus added 10 points for Adamson, while Artango contributed six points, five rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Gilas Youth big man Allen Perez also chipped in six points, seven rebounds, and two assists.
On the other hand, both Ateneo and UPIS remained winless at 0-5, staying at the bottom of the eight-team standings.
Urbina, despite a tough shooting night (3-of-11), still managed 11 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and two steals. Leal finished with a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds, along with one assist, one steal, and one block.
TJ Delos Santos chipped in 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and one steal, while Gatmaitan recorded eight points, four rebounds, and one steal.
Meanwhile, no Fighting Maroon reached double figures in scoring, with Bruce Tubongbanua and Rocco Melicor leading UPIS with nine points apiece.
First Game (Boys):
AdU (56) - Esperanza 25, De Jesus 10, Artango 6, Perez 6, Medina 5, Penafiel 3, Decatoria 1, Murillo 0, Umali 0, Tumaneng 0, Jenodia 0, Sajili 0.
Ateneo (52) - Urbina 11, Leal 11, Delos Santos 10, Gatmaitan 8, Espinas 3, Tan 3, Asistio 3, Aquino 2, Ymasa 1, Lagdamen 0, Reyes 0, Lacsamana 0, Kallos 0.
Quarterscores: 14-17, 36-26, 48-42, 56-52.
Second Game (Boys):
NUNS (90) - Akowe 21, Palanca 13, Alfanta 12, Figueroa 11, Locsin 6, Lucido 6, Usop 5, Natinga 5, Nepacena 4, Cartel 3, Matias 2, Bouzina 2, Pillado 0, Napa 0, Casala 0.
UPIS (34) - Tubongbanua 9, Melicor 9, De Liano 4, Hallare 3, Coronel 3, Egea 2, Poquiz 2, Gepitan 2, Uvero 0, Cobico 0, Mariano 0, Rosete 0, Hernandez 0, Pascual 0.
Quarterscores: 20-7, 46-14, 65-26, 90-34.
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