NUNS one win away from UAAP S87 juniors crown

1 day ago

0 1 minute read

Games on March 20
(Filoil Ecooil Centre)
10 a.m. – NUNS vs UST (girls’ finals)
12 p.m. – UST vs NUNS (boys’ finals)

National University-Nazareth School (NUNS) moved closer to a sweet redemption with a gritty 77-70 win over University of Santo Tomas in Game 1 of UAAP Season 87 boys’ basketball finals on Thursday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Cameroonian center Collins Akowe collared a monstrous double-double of 24 points and 22 rebounds as the Bullpups barked one win away from avenging a runner-up finish in Season 86.

Mr. Akowe, norming 20.79 points, 19.21 rebounds, 2.71 assists, 1.79 blocks this season, was hailed as the Season MVP last year when NUNS bowed to Adamson University.

He was not to be denied this time around, drawing local support from Carl Alfanta and Chad Cartel with 14 points each.

It was Mr. Cartel who delivered the daggers in the clutch marked by a jumper and an assist to Mr. Alfanta in the final minute to give the Bullpups a 76-70 lead heading home.

“Huge credits to the boys, who really worked hard for this win. It’s very crucial to take Game 1 for our advantage next game,” said coach Kevin de Castro, looking to win NUNS’ first title since a back-to-back feat in 2019.

Aside from a huge Game 1 win though, the Bullpups also exacted vengeance on the Tiger Cubs that handed them a 76-56 loss in the elims to deny them an outright finals berth.

NU finished the two-round prelims with a 13-1 slate for the top-seed finish before dethroning the fourth-ranked Adamson in the Final Four. Santo Tomas also knocked off the No. 3 seed Far Eastern University in only one attempt.

Senegalese forward Racine Kane dropped 25 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, three steals and four blocks but to no avail for the Tiger Cubs. Koji Buenaflor (15) and Carl Manding (12) also had wasted efforts as Santo Tomas seeks to force a winner-all-take Game 3 next week.

In the girls’ division finals, presumptive MVP Barby Dajao scattered 25 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and five steals as Santo Tomas drubbed NUNS, 85-57, for a 1-0 lead. — John Bryan Ulanday

The Scores:

NUNS 77 – Akowe 24, Alfanta 14, Cartel 14, Napa 9, Palanca 7, Locsin 6, Pillado 3, Matias 0, Nepacena 0, Usop 0, Solomon 0, Natinga 0, Figueroa 0.

UST 70 – Kane 25, Buenaflor 15, Manding 12, Esteban 6, Cañete 5, Acido 3, Bucsit 2, Cinco 2, Ludovice 0, Solon 0, Vidanes 0.

Quarterscores: 23-23, 38-36, 63-62, 77-70.