FAR Eastern University-Diliman and Ateneo de Manila University booked the first two tickets to the UAAP Season 88 High School Boys’ Basketball Final Four in contrasting fashion Wednesday afternoon at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
MVP frontrunner Cabs Cabonilas led the Baby Tamaraws to a wire-to-wire 103-52 victory over the University of the Philippines Integrated School Fighting Maroons, securing the program’s ninth consecutive Final Four appearance.
Meanwhile, Noah Banal and Nigerian center Jude Eriobu combined for 51 points as the Blue Eagles sent defending champions University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs to the brink of elimination in a 90-83 thriller, marking Ateneo’s return to the Final Four for the first time since Season 82 (2020).
With the wins, FEU-D stayed atop the eight-team field with a 10-2 record, while Ateneo bolstered its twice-to-beat aspirations with a 9-3 slate.
A win by De La Salle Zobel over Adamson University in the later game would complete the tournament’s Final Four cast and officially eliminate both UST and Adamson — who would drop to 4-8 with two games remaining — from postseason contention.
As of publishing, should DLSZ win, the University of the East (4-7) would need to pull an upset against the National University Nazareth School later at 4 p.m. to avoid elimination.
“I am happy for the program more than anything else. I went back coaching because of the program, more than myself or whoever. Our work does not stop here kasi may chance pa kami mag-twice-to-beat. I think that’s our second goal to get that twice-to-beat,” Blue Eagles head coach Bacon Austria said.
“It means a lot for me and for the program kasi right before the pandemic, the program was in the Final Four. The pandemic hit, and we were in a slump, in seventh place for the past few years. It’s a good boost for us [and] it’s possible because of the support of the school,” he added.
After the Blue Eagles and the Tiger Cubs traded eight consecutive three-pointers until midway through the payoff period — highlighted by the exchange of triples between Simon Pulongbarit and Jay-M Leal — the turning point came when UST co-captain Charles Esteban fouled out with Ateneo down 77-78, 3:57 remaining.
From that moment, the Blue Eagles seized the opportunity with a late 7-2 run — built on two Sky Jazul free throws, a Ziv Espinas layup, and a dagger triple from Banal — putting the Tiger Cubs in an 84-80 hole with 89 seconds left.
UST stayed within striking distance on a Jetlee Melano triple, but Ateneo closed out the game with one Espinas free throw, an Eriobu inside hit, and another Banal charity stripe make, restoring an 88-83 advantage with 22.7 seconds remaining.
The Tiger Cubs struggled to close the gap as both Jhon Canapi and Melano missed separate three-point attempts, putting UST’s title defense in peril.
Banal finished with 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting, two rebounds, and one steal, while Eriobu dominated with 23 points, 17 rebounds, six blocks, and one steal.
Leal contributed 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and one steal, while Zane Kallos orchestrated the offense with seven points, 11 assists, three rebounds, and one steal.
For UST, Melano led with 23 points, seven rebounds, and one steal, while Pulongbarit added 18 points, four rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Wacky Ludovice struggled offensively, scoring 14 points on 4-of-14 shooting but contributed five rebounds and one steal, while Canapi chipped in 14 points, five rebounds, and three steals off the bench.
Team captain Kirk Canete was limited to six points on 2-of-8 shooting but tallied nine rebounds, 13 assists, and four steals.
In the earlier game, the Baby Tamaraws relied on consecutive baskets from Prince Carino, Cabonilas, Dwayne Enriquez, and Duke Santos to turn a slim 39-28 lead into a comfortable 54-34 halftime advantage.
FEU-D maintained control in the third period, unleashing a dominant 23-3 surge — capped by three straight inside hits from Carino, Sam Hall, and Enriquez — to put the Fighting Maroons in an 87-43 hole heading into the fourth quarter.
“That’s the goal of every team naman sa UAAP. We’re all really excited because of how we played today. Hindi ko masyado tinitignan yung winning margin, but the intensity on defense, umangat nang umangat, even if we had a good lead. We kept the intensity the whole game,” FEU-D head coach Mike Reyes said.
