THIRD-RANKED Far Eastern University-Diliman exorcised the ghosts of the past, toppling second-seeded University of Santo Tomas, 82-75, to advance to the UAAP Season 88 Junior High School Basketball Tournament Finals on Wednesday morning at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
With the win, the Baby Tamaraws are set to face the still-unbeaten National University Nazareth School Bullpups — who defeated FEU-D in both elimination round matchups, 66-78 in the first round and 68-72 in the second — in the best-of-three championship series beginning this Saturday, December 6, also at the Big Dome.
This will mark the second championship clash between FEU-D and NUNS in the division since the tournament’s inauguration in Season 86, when Rob Celiz’s buzzer-beating triple secured the Bullpups’ first-ever UAAP 16-and-under title.
The triumph carried extra significance for the Baby Tamaraws, who snapped a five-game losing streak to their Season 87 nemesis and avenged last year’s Final Four setback to the Tiger Cubs. It was FEU-D’s first victory over UST since a 90-83 first-round win on October 5, 2024, in Season 87.
“Syempre, very much happy na nakabawi kami. Nakabalik kami dito at natalo namin sila dito sa knockout game. Lagi ko sinasabi sa kanila na kung paano kayo bumagsak, kailangan matuto kayong bumangon — hindi lang sa basketball, pati sa bahay. Hindi pwede na bumagsak ka, doon ka na lang,” Baby Tamaraws head coach Muriel Garcia said.
FEU-D trailed by as much as 12 points (13-25) in the first half, but a back-and-forth third quarter kept them within striking distance at 59-57 heading into the final period.
The Baby Tamaraws then caught fire at the perfect moment, opening the fourth quarter with 11 straight points — highlighted by a triple and layup from Dwyne Enriquez — to put the Tiger Cubs in a 68-59 hole with 7:02 remaining.
One free throw each from Wayne Anggot and Dave Regala, along with a Gab Castro three-pointer, trimmed the deficit to 68-64.
But back-to-back inside hits by Prince Cariño, a floater from Prince Pineda, and a dagger triple by Enriquez effectively sealed FEU-D’s Finals berth, restoring an insurmountable 79-70 advantage with 1:27 left in the game.
FEU-D had to overcome a tough stepladder quarterfinal clash last Sunday, defeating Adamson University, 90-76, to earn the right to face UST in the semifinals.
Enriquez shrugged off a slow start to finish with 22 points, seven rebounds, and four steals, while Cariño posted a dominant double-double of 21 points, 22 rebounds, two blocks, and one assist.
Andrei Chavez added 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting, along with seven rebounds, four assists, and two blocks, while Pineda recorded a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds, complemented by five assists and one steal.
On the other hand, UST settled for a third-place finish — a slight drop from the Tiger Cubs’ runner-up campaign in Season 87.
The Tiger Cubs gained an outright semifinals berth after finishing second in the elimination round with a 10-4 record.
