UAAP: FEU-D obtains 10th Boys Basketball crown, overcomes NUNS in championship game

Far Eastern University-Diliman is back at the pinnacle of UAAP Boys Basketball after claiming victory in game three against National University Nazareth School, 106-102, Monday at the Blue Eagle Gym in Ateneo de Manila University.

Getting over the hump after early Final Four exits in Seasons 86 and 87, the Baby Tamaraws bring home the high school crown to Diliman for the first time since 2023.

This season’s Most Valuable Player Cabs Cabonilas turned in his most important performance as a Baby Tamaraw, exploding for a game-high 35 points, including two crucial free throws to seal the title.

Cabonilas also finished the championship bout with a double-double, grabbing 10 rebounds to go along with five assists, three steals, and three blocks to win Finals MVP and become the first high school player to win the two top individual awards in the same season since stats were officially recorded in 2002.

The six-foot-five wing ran out of words to express his feelings about this historic year with the Baby Tamaraws.

“Hindi naman para sa akin [mga] yun. Para sa mga coaches, pamilya, at sa mga teammates ko. Pinagsipagan ko lang at parati lang ako nakikinig,” said Cabonilas.

“Sinabihan ko lang teammates ko, no pressure, kunin natin ‘to…sabi namin, Tamaraws tayo, laban natin [ang] team at buong FEU,” he added.

(It's not for me. It's for my coaches, family, and teammates. I just worked hard for it and always listened. I told my teammates, no pressure, let's get this. We said, we are Tamaraws, let's fight for the team and the whole of FEU.)

Trailing for seemingly the entire game, FEU-D caught life when point guard Sam Hall and Khean Esperanza drained back-to-back triples to give them the lead with 1:15 minutes left on the game clock, 93-92.

Despite NUNS’ Shaun Lucido playing hero, sending the game into overtime with two ice cold shots from the line, 96-96, the Baby Tamaraws carried over their newfound momentum heading into overtime.

To start the extra five minutes, the Diliman-based squad rode Esperanza and Cabonilas’ hot hand, with the former continuing his fine form from the free throw line and the latter incurring a pivotal and-one play, ultimately keeping the game out of NUNS’ reach, 103-98.

The Sampaloc-based squad had one more crack at extending the game, however, Cabonilas intercepted the Rhonjay Matias inbounds pass to then icing the game at the line.

Esperanza aptly supplemented Cabonilas with 23 markers of his own, which included 12 free throw makes.

Aside from the feeling of winning a championship, veteran head coach Mike Reyes said that the heated series against NUNS was a great opportunity to platform his boys’ skills in hopes of better opportunities in the future.

“I’m really satisfied. I’m really happy sa nangyari today. Ang talagang pinakamasaya ako sa championship na ‘to is we all know si Cabs, si [Marc] Burgos kukunin sa college. Pero si [Yosef] Rañeses, sina Santos, nakita ni Coach Sean [Chambers] kung ano magagawa nila,” said the FEU-D.

(I'm really satisfied. I'm really happy with what happened today. And the thing I'm most happy about with this championship is we all know Cabs, Burgos, they'll move up to the college team. But Rañeses, Santos, Coach Sean has seen what they can do also.)

On the other hand, the Bullpups will have to wait one more year for another crack at the coveted high school title. Shooting guard Lucido attempted his best to lift NUNS, detonating for 35 points on an efficient 12 for 24 shooting from the field.

—JMB, GMA News