University of Santo Tomas (UST) showcased unwavering perseverance and dedication to reach the summit of University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) high school boys’ basketball tournament.
For the first time in 24 years, the Tiger Cubs are kings once again, after clinching Season 87 title following a dramatic 83-77 overtime victory over National University Nazareth School on Thursday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The last time UST celebrated a UAAP boys’ basketball title was in Season 64 back in 2001, led by season Most Valuable Player Jun Cortez.
The championship completed the Tiger Cubs’ redemption arc after two consecutive fourth-place finishes in Seasons 85 and 86. It also marked their 12th overall title, solidifying their status as the second-winningest program in UAAP boys’ basketball history.
Following the Junior Growling Tigresses’ championship last Thursday, the Tiger Cubs’ triumph allowed UST to achieve the first-ever “golden double” in UAAP high school basketball history since the introduction of girls’ basketball in Season 82 in 2020.
“My goal as a coach is to help young players make it to the next level,” said Tiger Cubs head coach Manu Iñigo, who joined an exclusive club as the fifth coach to win championships in both the National Collegiate Athletic Association and UAAP in the modern era, following Turo Valenzona, Joel Banal, Koy Banal and Aldin Ayo.
“I will connect all that history to the players we have guided — that’s what truly matters.”
He said the key to their victory was their resilience and teamwork, especially in the crucial stretch where NUNS waged a rally.
“A 17-point lead means nothing against NUNS,” he said.
“Our vision was to win it quarter by quarter, so we didn’t care who was leading — as long as we fought until the end. We got lucky in overtime, and that’s how we won.”
The series was tightly contested, with an average winning margin of just 5.6 points per game. NUNS struck first with a 77-70 victory in Game 1 before UST forced a winner-take-all Game 3 with an 89-85 win in Game 2.
Despite trailing by as many as 17 points, the Bullpups surged at the right time in the fourth quarter, forcing overtime after Jid Locsin split his free throws and Migs Palanca converted a putback off Mac Alfanta’s missed layup.
However, this late-game push came at a cost for NUNS, as Season 87 Best Foreign Student-Athlete Collins Akowe — who tallied 23 points, 24 rebounds, four blocks, and three assists — fouled out with five seconds remaining in regulation.
That proved to be the turning point in overtime. UST seized an early 80-74 advantage behind a fadeaway bank shot from co-captain Kirk Cañete and back-to-back layups from Senegalese forward Racine Kane.
The Bullpups mounted a final rally as Mot Matias, who replaced the cramping Locsin at the 2:52 mark, drained a triple to cut the deficit to 80-77. However, a free throw from Kane and crucial misses in the dying seconds secured UST’s triumph.
Matias had a chance to trim the lead further but missed key free throws, while desperate three-point attempts from Matias and Iver Napa failed to connect, sealing NUNS’s fate.
Kane capped off his first UAAP season in dominant fashion, earning Finals Most Valuable Player honors after averaging 19.3 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 2.0 steals, and 1.6 assists over the three-game series.