National University-Nazareth School (NUNS) breezed past also-ran University of the Philippines Integrated School (UPIS), 92-60, to secure a playoff for a Final Four spot in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 boys’ basketball tournament on Saturday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.

Beyond extending their winning streak to seven games, the Bullpups — playing without Malian center Moussa Diakite due to a minor foot injury — relied on Shaun Lucido and Mot Matias to dismantle the Fighting Maroons and move one step closer to a Final Four berth.

They joined the Far Eastern University-Diliman (FEU-D) Baby Tamaraws, who earlier overcame defending champions University of Santo Tomas (UST) Tiger Cubs, as the teams assured of a playoff for a semifinals ticket.

Meanwhile, De La Salle Zobel (DLSZ) broke a scoring slump in the payoff period to defeat University of the East (UE), 59-47, and maintain solo fourth place with three games remaining in the elimination round of the tournament, which is being held in partnership with the Philippine Sports Commission.

With these contrasting victories, NUNS remained tied for first with FEU-D, both holding 9-2 records, while DLSZ created a two-game cushion for fourth place with a 6-5 slate.

UST, Adamson, and UE remained locked in a three-way tie for fifth place with 4-7 records after separate losses to FEU-D, Ateneo de Manila University and DLSZ, respectively.

NUNS wasted no time asserting its dominance, opening with a 27-14 first-quarter lead before consecutive layups from Sofiane Bouzina, Matias, Lucido and Ronnie Juan pushed UPIS into a 24-point deficit, 52-28, by halftime.