GAME TODAY
(The Arena, San Juan)
12 p.m. – NUNS vs. UST
AFTER months of grueling battles and two hard-fought finals games, it all comes down to this—one final showdown to determine the princes of UAAP Season 87 high school boys’ basketball.
National University Nazareth School and University of Santo Tomas collide in a do-or-die Game 3 today at The Arena in San Juan, with everything on the line.
The Bullpups are gunning for their ninth overall title, while the Tiger Cubs are aiming to reclaim their throne with what would be their 12th championship in the division—ending a 24-year title drought in the process.
The high-stakes matchup at noon will feature a tactical battle between two of the brightest young coaches in the game—Bullpups mentor Kevin De Castro and Tiger Cubs tactician Manu Iñigo.
NUNS took the series opener 77-70 on March 13 before UST forced a decider a week later with an 89-85 escape.
For De Castro—top protégé of Bulldogs head coach Jeff Napa—the key for the Bullpups is returning to the form that powered their dominant 13-0 start to the season.
“Sa amin siguro, like I said before the season started, we are here to learn and compete as a team,” he said. “We’ll take the win, pero mas tinitingnan namin ito sa growth and improvements—both individually and as a team.
“Yes, we’re in the finals, and it’s a winner-takes-all match, pero susubukan lang naming gawin ang mga bagay na ginawa namin throughout the year.”
Meanwhile, Iñigo—who previously led San Beda to the NCAA Season 95 title—knows Game 3 will come down to sheer determination.
“Well, kahit na ano pang sabihin namin ngayon, sabi ko nga, yung Game 3, diyan magkakaalaman who really wants it more, diba,” said Iñigo, now in his second year as the Tiger Cubs’ head coach.
“Hindi pwedeng sinasabi lang namin na mas gusto namin, yun din sinabi ko sa kanila nung Game 2 na kailangan tayo mismo, we do it with our actions. So, walang statement win or anything, focus lang kami sa isang game na natitira,” he added, recalling how his San Beda squad triumphed over Lyceum-Cavite in the 2019 NCAA finals.
