University of Santo Tomas showcased unwavering perseverance and dedication to claim the summit of UAAP high school boys' basketball.
For the first time in 24 years, the Tiger Cubs are golden once again, clinching the UAAP Season 87 Boys' Basketball Tournament championship by surviving the National University Nazareth School Bullpups in a thrilling 83-77 overtime triumph, Thursday afternoon at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The last time UST celebrated a UAAP boys' basketball title was in Season 64 back in 2001, led by season MVP and UST lifer Jun Cortez.
The championship completed the Tiger Cubs' redemption arc after two consecutive fourth-place finishes in Seasons 85 and 86.
It also marked their 12th overall title, solidifying their status as the second-winningest program in UAAP boys' basketball history.
Following the Junior Growling Tigresses' championship last Thursday, the Tiger Cubs' triumph allowed UST to achieve the first-ever 'golden double' in UAAP high school basketball history since the introduction of girls' basketball in Season 82 in 2020.
"Ang goal ko talaga as a coach is maraming bata ang matulungan to make it to the next level. Ipaglalapit ko lahat ng history na yan sa mga bata na natulungan namin, ‘yon ang importante," said Tiger Cubs head coach Manu Inigo, who joined an exclusive club as the fifth coach to win championships in both the NCAA and UAAP in the modern era, following Turo Valenzona, Joel Banal, Koy Banal, and Aldin Ayo.
"Seventeen-point lead nga, pero walang safe na lead against NUNS talaga. Ang vision namin ay win it per quarter kaya wala kaming pakialam kung sino lamang, basta hanggang dulo. Swinerte kami nung overtime kaya kami nanalo," he added.
The series was tightly contested, with an average winning margin of just 5.6 points per game. NUNS struck first with a 77-70 victory in Game 1 before UST forced a winner-take-all Game 3 with an 89-85 win in Game 2.
Despite trailing by as many as 17 points, the Bullpups surged at the right time in the fourth quarter, forcing overtime after Jid Locsin split his free throws and Migs Palanca converted a putback off Mac Alfanta’s missed layup.
However, this late-game push came at a cost for NUNS, as Season 87 Best Foreign Student-Athlete Collins Akowe—who tallied 23 points, 24 rebounds, four blocks, and three assists—fouled out with five seconds remaining in regulation.
That proved to be the turning point in overtime. UST seized an early 80-74 advantage behind a fadeaway bank shot from co-captain Kirk Cañete and back-to-back layups from Senegalese forward Racine Kane.
The Bullpups mounted a final rally as Mot Matias, who replaced the cramping Locsin at the 2:52 mark, drained a triple to cut the deficit to 80-77. However, a free throw from Kane and crucial misses in the dying seconds secured UST’s triumph.
Matias had a chance to trim the lead further but missed key free throws, while desperate three-point attempts from Matias and Iver Napa failed to connect, sealing NUNS's fate.
Kane capped off his first UAAP season in dominant fashion, earning Finals MVP honors after averaging 19.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 2.0 steals, and 1.6 assists over the three-game series.
"After Game 2, Coach Manu talked to me, saying that we need to finish it in Game 3. This is our last year, that’s why we really did everything today, both for UST and Coach Manu," Kane said.
He powered UST’s championship-clinching win with 28 points, 17 rebounds, two blocks, two steals, and an assist.
Team captain Koji Buenaflor struggled offensively, shooting 5-of-16 for 12 points, but made up for it with 15 rebounds and six assists.
Charles Esteban added 11 points, four rebounds, an assist, and a steal, while Wacky Ludovice and Carl Manding chipped in 10 points each.
Meanwhile, Cañete flirted with a triple-double, finishing with eight points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and two steals.
On the other hand, heartbreak continued for Kevin De Castro's NUNS program,
suffering their second consecutive silver medal finish after also faltering to Adamson University in also a grueling three-game series in Season 86 (2024).
Palanca led the Bullpups with 21 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks, an assist, and a steal. Alfanta struggled from the field, shooting just 4-of-15 for 10 points, but managed 11 rebounds, two assists, and a steal. Locsin contributed nine points, three assists, two rebounds, a steal, and a block in the losing effort.
NUNS will bid farewell to key players as Akowe, Palanca, Alfanta, Locsin, Jedric Solomon, Iver Napa, Gab Nepacena, Tom Pillado, Allan Timbang, and Alnhumaeri Usop all graduate from the program.
The Scores:
UST (83) – Kane 28, Buenaflor 12, Esteban 11, Ludovice 10, Manding 10, Cañete 8, Bucsit 4, Solon 0, Acido 0, Cidanes 0.
NUNS (77) – Akowe 23, Palanca 21, Alfanta 10, Locsin 9, Cartel 4, Matias 3, Solomon 2, Nepacena 2, Usop 0, Pillado 0, Natinga 0, Figueroa 0, Lucido 0.
Quarterscores: 24-18, 46-33, 60-49, 74-74, 83-77