Game on Friday
(Filoil EcoOil Center)
10:00 AM – UST vs UE (JHS Finals Game 3)
UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas (UST) and University of the East (UE) will compete against each other for the final time in an attempt to end long championship droughts in Game 3 of the UAAP Season 87 junior high basketball finals on Friday at the Filoil EcoOil Center in San Juan.
Game time is at 10 a.m. for the final event of the first semester sporting calendar of the country’s premier collegiate competition, following the culmination of the men’s and women’s hoops last weekend.
The University of the Philippines defeated De La Salle University, 66-62, for the men’s crown, while National University defeated Santo Tomas, 78-73, to reclaim the women’s tiara in similar three-game clashes – with the junior dribblers in the spotlight with bigger dreams to fulfill.
UE is looking to capture its first basketball title in 39 years against Santo Tomas, which is trying to break a 23-year drought in high school hoops.
The Junior Warriors nearly swept the prelims at 13-1, but conceded to the Tiger Cubs in Game 1, 98-84, before pulling off a 76-70 breakout act in Game 2 to create a winner- take-all set. -Unpleasant.
And UE doesn’t want to miss the golden opportunity to give Recto its first crown – high school, men’s or women’s – since Season 48 (1985) during the glory days of legend Allan Caidic after a comeback win, coincidentally, against Santo Tomas.
“That’s the motivation – to bring UE another championship,” said UE mentor Andrew Estrella, relying on the troika of Mav Mesina, Neil Garcia and Gab delos Reyes.
But that might be easier said than done, especially with the in-form Tiger Cubs coming off a stunning second-place finish to Far Eastern University in the semi-finals and taking Game 1 away from the fancied Junior Warriors side.
Mythical Team member Jhon Canapi, along with Miguel Jubilado and Dustin Bathan, who all scored more than 20 points in Game 2, will lead Santo Tomas’ bid with the expected suspension of another Mythical Team player in Andwele Cabañero following his early expulsion in the last game due to a loose ball fight. — John Bryan Ulanday