Marc Burgos sank the game-winning free throw as Far Eastern University-Diliman (FEU-D) handed National University Nazareth School (NUNS) its first loss, 79-78, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 boys’ basketball tournament on Sunday morning at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.

After Shaun Lucido made a perfect trip to the free throw line to tie the game at 78-all with 4.8 seconds left, the Baby Tamaraws — led by two-time UAAP champion coach Mike Reyes — ran a flawless play that saw Yosef Raneses toss an inbound alley-oop pass to Burgos.

The 6-foot-5 forward from Nueva Ecija failed to convert the alley-oop but drew a shooting foul on Corian Cabantog with 1.1 seconds left.

Burgos made his first free throw, missed the second, and Raneses grabbed the offensive rebound to seal FEU-D’s comeback victory, bouncing back from a 71-90 loss to Ateneo de Manila University last Wednesday.

“That’s a regular inbound. That’s really an option for us because everybody already knows what to do. That’s an option, to toss an alley-oop. Four seconds, we drew something to get Cabonilas a shot. It did not work, so with two seconds left, that’s a regular inbound,” Reyes said.

Burgos’ heroics were a product of the Baby Tamaraws’ collective effort, as FEU-D methodically chipped away at a seven-point deficit, 69-76, with 2:47 remaining.

Cabonilas, Gambian center Assan Gaye, and Burgos scored consecutive inside baskets to cut the deficit to 75-76. Cabonilas — a Season 87 Elite Team member — then drilled a go-ahead triple, giving the Baby Tamaraws a 78-76 lead with 18.9 seconds left.

Lucido tied it at 78-all from the free throw line before Burgos delivered the pressure-packed, game-winning free throw to propel FEU-D to a tie with NUNS in the standings at 2-1.

Cabonilas finished with 22 points, 13 rebounds, three blocks, two assists, and one steal, while Sam Hall added 13 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one steal.

Jheremy Godoy contributed 11 points, six rebounds, five assists, and two steals, while Burgos overcame early foul trouble to finish with nine points, four rebounds, and three assists.

Meanwhile, defending champion University of Santo Tomas notched its first win of the season with a strong second-half performance in a wire-to-wire 79-70 victory over Adamson University.

The Tiger Cubs opened the third quarter with a pivotal 11-2 run — capped by a Wacky Ludovice layup — to build a 19-point lead at 57-38.

UST maintained control heading into the fourth quarter, stretching the advantage to a game-high 78-51 with 5:04 left, behind free throws from Jhon Canapi and LJ Lapastora and layups from Tomas Cruz and Daniel Sta. Maria.

Adamson fought back with a 19-1 run, highlighted by a four-point swing from Jarl Artango and a Bill Garcia layup, but UST’s 27-point cushion proved insurmountable.