National University–Nazareth School (NUNS) delivered a statement victory to close the first round of the UAAP Season 88 Girls’ basketball tournament, defeating defending champion University of Santo Tomas (UST), 74–62, in a rematch of last year’s finals. The win not only reaffirmed NUNS’s credentials as a title contender but also kept the Lady Bullpups level with early leaders Ateneo de Manila University and Far Eastern University–Diliman at the top of the standings.
Played in Metro Manila before a crowd drawn by one of the tournament’s fiercest junior rivalries, the match unfolded like a chess game — patient, physical, and deeply tactical — before NUNS asserted its edge in the final quarter.
A finals rematch defined by depth and control
The encounter carried unmistakable weight. These were the same two programmes that battled for the championship a season ago, and both arrived intent on measuring progress.
NUNS proved sharper across the full forty minutes, drawing production from multiple players and gradually wearing down a UST side still searching for rhythm this season. Aubrey Lapasaran led the scoring with 17 points, while Adin Rosano authored one of the most complete performances of the tournament so far: 14 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, five steals and a block.
Support came from all angles. EK Kaw supplied 13 points off the bench, while Jay M. Leal and Noah Banal added 11 and 10 points respectively. The balanced scoring allowed NUNS to maintain composure whenever UST threatened to close the gap.
“To close out first round proceedings in the Girls division, NUNS outlasted UST, 74–62. Last year’s finalists threw counters at each other throughout the four quarters, with the Lady Bullpups having the last say in the final canto,” read the official game summary.
UST effort falls short amid a difficult first round
For UST, the loss underlined a challenging opening half of the season. The defending champions dropped to a 2–5 record, a stark contrast to their dominance a year earlier.
Pia Petalcorin paced the Junior Tigresses with 15 points, while Jetlee Melano and JC Canapi chipped in 13 and 12 points. Inside, Koukou Talla battled for 11 rebounds, but UST struggled to sustain momentum against NUNS’s relentless defence.
The España-based squad showed flashes of cohesion but remained vulnerable to scoring droughts — an issue that has surfaced repeatedly this season and now places greater pressure on the second round.
Standings tighten as the race takes shape
The result ensured NUNS stayed within touching distance of Ateneo and FEU–Diliman, both of whom remain undefeated or near-perfect across the junior divisions. At the other end of the table, University of the Philippines Integrated School closed the round winless at 0–7.
Elsewhere on the same day, the broader competitive landscape of UAAP juniors basketball came sharply into focus:
NUNS overwhelmed UP-IS, 124–41, in the boys’ division, an 83-point rout led by Miekho Natinga.
Ateneo defeated UST, 100–88, tightening its grip on the boys’ standings.
FEU–Diliman beat UE, 96–73, while De La Salle Zobel overcame Adamson, 71–45.
Taken together, the results underline the growing separation between the tournament’s front-runners and sides still in transition.
More than a scoreline for grassroots basketball
While the UAAP junior divisions rarely draw international attention, their cultural footprint in the Philippines is considerable. Matches like NUNS–UST resonate in basketball-centric neighbourhoods from Sampaloc to España, shaping school pride and inspiring student-athletes juggling sport and study.
For followers of the game — including overseas fans tracking Philippine basketball from afar — the contest offered a familiar narrative: tradition tested by renewal, and a reminder that championships are defended not by reputation, but by execution.
As the second round begins, NUNS has positioned itself not just as a survivor of past success, but as a programme capable of forging a new title run. For UST, the margin for recovery has narrowed, but the season remains long enough for the champions to find their stride.
