Diakite dominates, sends NUNS to semis

Malian center Moussa Diakite delivered a rare triple-double performance as National University Nazareth School (NUNS) outlasted Adamson University, 83-71, to secure the first Final Four slot in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 junior high school basketball tournament on Saturday morning at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.

Diakite stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting, 14 rebounds, and 10 blocks along with three assists for the Bullpups, who booked their third consecutive Final Four appearance since winning the inaugural tournament in Season 86 and then finished fourth in Season 87.

His triple-double marked the season’s third and the sixth overall since the tournament’s debut in Season 86, following similar outings by UST point guard Rowie Cabañero on 15 October and teammate Clark Khobuntin on 8 October.

The victory also allowed the Bullpups to maintain a perfect record with 11 consecutive wins, strengthening their hold on solo first place.

“Of course, we’re happy,” NUNS head coach Leo Pujante said.

“But there were times that they relaxed. In the fourth quarter, we lost. They still have bad habits of taking things for granted, which is something they have to correct as we enter the Final Four.”

The loss pushed the Baby Falcons outside the Final Four picture, leaving them in fifth place with a 6-5 win-loss record.

Meanwhile, defending champion University of the East held the University of the Philippines Integrated School to just 10 points in the first half before cruising to a 76-29 victory.

With the win, the Junior Warriors — who will face UST, Far Eastern University-Diliman, and the Bullpups to close the eliminations — stayed in solo fourth place with a 7-4 record and moved half a game behind the Tiger Cubs (7-3) for third place.

Building on a 44-35 halftime lead, the trio of Diakite, David Sabareza, and Ian Manalo sparked a pivotal 12-5 run at the start of the third quarter, sending Adamson into a 16-point deficit at 56-40 — a hole it could not recover from.

The Baby Falcons refused to back down, as a Kieff Iledan layup and an Edison Jordan triple trimmed the deficit to 66-55 early in the fourth quarter. But the Bullpups broke the game open with nine straight points — punctuated by back-to-back layups from Nick Peña and Diakite — to effectively seal the win with a 75-55 lead with less than four minutes remaining.