San Juan: Top-seeded National University Nazareth School (NUNS) secured their spot in the final by defeating Adamson University 64-62 in the UAAP Season 87 boys’ basketball at the FilOil EcoOil Centre. Miguel Palanca led the charge for the Bullpups with a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, paving the way for their second consecutive championship appearance and 11th in the last 12 seasons.
According to Philippines News Agency, NUNS will face the second-seeded University of Santo Tomas (UST), which emerged victorious over the third-seeded Far Eastern University-Diliman with a 75-63 win in the preliminary round. NUNS, who finished as runners-up to Adamson last season, mounted a fourth-quarter comeback led by Palanca, Jedric Solomon, Alnhumaeri Usop, and Miekho Natinga to seize the lead at 53-49. They extended their advantage to 61-53 with just under three minutes remaining.
Coach Kevin De Castro expressed appreciation for his players’ efforts, acknowledging their determination and teamwork. He emphasized the significance of the victory as an opportunity to avenge last season’s loss to Adamson and potentially claim the title over UST. Collins Akowe contributed 11 points and six rebounds for NUNS, while Miekho Natinga matched his scoring output. Mot Matias added eight points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
For Adamson, Mark Esperanza was a standout performer, scoring 24 points along with six rebounds and six assists. Sanir Sajili and CJ Umali contributed 10 and seven points, respectively. Sajili, Umali, Earl Medina, Allen Perez, Gabe De Jesus, Jireh Tumaneng, and JR Abayon will be graduating after this season.
On the other side, UST’s Joaquin Ludovice delivered a solid performance with 16 points, four rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Koji Buenaflor and Charles Bucsit each added 15 points, marking UST’s first finals appearance in 15 years. FEU’s efforts were led by Marc Burgos, who scored 17 points and secured 11 rebounds, complemented by Cabs Cabonilas and Yosef Raneses with 15 and 10 points, respectively.