University of the East (UE) continued its giant-killing habit as it breezed past heavyweight National University Nazareth School (NUNS) in wire-to-wire fashion, 89-64, to remain unbeaten in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 junior high school basketball tournament yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
It was another dominant win for the Junior Warriors, who booked their fifth straight win in this event that had already been promoted into a regular status starting this season.
UE coach Andrew Estrella praised his team’s performance, emphasizing their commitment to the game plan that led to an impressive win over the inaugural champion.
“They just did their jobs. They stuck to the game plan and executed what we have been doing in practices,” Estrella said.
A key factor in UE’s success against NUNS was the balanced scoring with five Warriors reaching double digits.
Tarlac native Jolo Pascual, who entered the game averaging 9.5 points, led the charge, firing 21 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals while 14-year-old point guard Mav Mesina recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 assists and Neil Garcia chipped in 12 points for the Junior Warriors.
Enrico Bungar and Gab delos Reyes both scored 10 points, and Filipino-Nigerian Goodluck Okebata not only scored seven points but also grabbed 10 rebounds to highlight the Junior Warriors’ depth and firepower on both ends.
“It’s a total team effort,” Estrella added.
“Not only with the players but from the management, coaching staff — everyone is working hard. Every practice, my players are being taken care of. That’s it. We just work as a team. I feel that it has been the key to success.”
Meanwhile, Adamson University celebrated its first-ever victory after securing an 85-70 decision over University of the Philippines Integrated School.
This win was particularly significant for former Soaring Falcon and current Baby Falcons coach Alex Barrera, who played at the collegiate level from Seasons 77 to 79.
Despite the win, the 28-year-old mentor from Quezon Province encouraged his players to focus on building momentum as they head into the second round.
Edison Jordan, a transferee from Mary and Jesus School, led the Baby Falcons with a strong performance, scoring 19 points while adding six rebounds and three assists while Chrys Gomez contributed 17 points, and both Craig Fongtong and Jhune Ondevilla added 10 markers to help Barrera bag his first-ever win as UAAP head coach.