National University Nazareth School cruised to its ninth straight win in the UAAP Season 88 High School Boys’ Basketball Tournament, dominating Adamson University 86-68 in a wire-to-wire victory to inch closer to a coveted twice-to-beat advantage, Sunday at Blue Eagle Gym.
Earlier, De La Salle Zobel rallied from a 12-point deficit to topple dethroned champion University of Santo Tomas, 84-80.
The Bullpups (11-2) and the Junior Archers (8-5) will face off on the final day of the elimination round on March 8, with stakes high for NUNS. A win for the Bullpups would secure one of the first playoff incentives.
“Maibigay sa amin ‘yung twice-to-beat, magiging happy kami, pero kung hindi, pagtratrabahuan pa namin. ‘Yan ang mindset namin,” said fourth-year Bullpups’ head coach Kevin De Castro.
Also in contention for twice-to-beat advantages are Far Eastern University-Diliman (11-2), which defeated University of the East 72-71 in the first game of the day, and Ateneo de Manila University (10-3), which cruised past winless University of the Philippines Integrated School 103-57.
If NUNS, the Baby Tamaraws, and the Blue Eagles end up in a triple tie, the quotient system will determine the top seed, while the second and third-ranked squads will face off in a virtual best-of-three series.
The NUNS-DLSZ clash is particularly important for both De Castro and Junior Archers head coach Gian Nazario, as it may preview a potential Final Four matchup.
“Mas gusto ko pa silang makitang mag-mature at lumabas pa ‘yung composure. Sa mga games na ganito, hindi na ito puro talent kungdi chemistry na, kung sino ang gusto manalo, at sino ang mas dedicated sa game,” said De Castro on what he hopes to see on March 8.
“Just be better, I mean, you know, everyone’s saying being 1% better, they know that, and, you know, it’s gonna be a challenge, and makikita namin kung du’n saan talaga ‘yung kaya namin,” added Nazario.
Against Adamson, NUNS raced to a 10-0 lead and never looked back, stretching their lead to as much as 30 points, 80-50.
Four Bullpups scored in double digits: Corian Cabantog led with 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting, Shaun Lucido added 13 points with three assists, three steals, and two rebounds, Mot Matias, returning from a one-game suspension, posted 12 points, five assists, and three steals, and Kurl Figueroa finished with 11 points and nine rebounds.
Meanwhile, DLSZ overcame an 11-point deficit, 63-52, to start the final frame against UST. Kio Favis sank two free throws with 1:43 left to take the lead, while a Maco Dabao triple with 19 seconds remaining sealed an 82-77 victory.
“Even the way we approach our practices, I was really hard on them, I was telling them that they have to get off their clouds already, hindi puwedeng nandu’n pa kami, kasi we still have games to play. Huwag namin sayangin ‘yung opportunity na maglaro against UST and NU,” Nazario lamented about their performance.
Dabao led DLSZ with 27 points on 11-of-21 shooting, eight rebounds, and three steals. Nigerian big man Yusuf Mikailu contributed 21 points and 16 rebounds, Nino Ferrer added 16 points, and Kio Favis chipped in 10 points.
UST, dropping its third straight game, was paced by Jetlee Melano with 27 points, while Jhon Canapi and Charles Esteban had 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Adamson, losers of five straight games, saw Mac Jenodia top the scoring with 16 points, while Jarl Artango and Fran Flores added 13 and 11 points, respectively.
Games on Sunday
(Blue Eagle Gym)
8 a.m. — DLSZ vs NUNS (Boys’)
10 a.m. — ADU vs UE (Boys’)
12 p.m. — Ateneo vs FEU-D (Boys’)
2 p.m. — UPIS vs UST (Boys’)
4 p.m. — NUNS vs UST (Girls’)
