The race for the coveted No. 2 seed in the UAAP Season 88 boys’ basketball tournament is far from over.
Ateneo de Manila University refused to let its Final Four ambitions slip away, grinding out a dramatic 86–82 overtime victory over Far Eastern University-Diliman on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym to force a decisive playoff for the second spot in the standings.
With the win, both the Blue Eagles and the Baby Tamaraws completed the elimination round tied at 11–3, setting up a winner-take-all clash on Wednesday where the victor will claim the No. 2 seed and the valuable twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals.
The rivalry clash delivered the tension expected from two title contenders. Ateneo appeared to have control late in regulation, holding a slim 76–75 lead with just nine seconds remaining. But FEU-D’s Marc Burgos struck with a clutch basket to briefly swing the advantage to the Baby Tamaraws and put the Blue Eagles on the brink of defeat.
A foul immediately after the play, however, gave Ateneo a lifeline. Noah Banal calmly stepped to the line and sank one of two free throws, sending the tightly contested battle into overtime and electrifying the home crowd.
Once the extra period began, both squads traded blows before Ateneo seized momentum at the most crucial moment. The Blue Eagles unleashed a decisive 6–0 surge midway through overtime, opening an 85–79 cushion with just over a minute left on the clock.
FEU-D tried to claw its way back as Yosef Rañeses knocked down a three-pointer to cut the deficit. The Baby Tamaraws then had several opportunities to tie or even steal the lead, but their outside shots refused to fall as Pat Sohm, Sam Hall, and Rañeses all misfired from long range in the closing stretch.
Jay M. Leal eventually split a pair of free throws after drawing a foul, giving Ateneo enough breathing room to secure the victory despite a late turnover.
Jude Eriobu powered the Blue Eagles with a dominant double-double performance, tallying 23 points and 15 rebounds while adding two blocks. Leal delivered a strong all-around effort with 19 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and two steals, while Banal contributed 17 points in the crucial win.
Cabs Cabonilas spearheaded FEU-D’s charge with 22 points along with seven rebounds, four assists, and a block. Burgos and Rañeses also made significant contributions with 18 and 17 points, respectively, while JB Cagurungan added 13 markers.
Elsewhere in the tournament, National University Nazareth School secured the top seed after defeating De La Salle Zobel, 83–66, to close the elimination round with an identical 11–3 record but superior tiebreaks. The Junior Archers, meanwhile, slipped to 8–6 heading into the semifinals.
University of Santo Tomas capped its campaign with a commanding 83–24 rout of University of the Philippines Integrated School, while University of the East edged Adamson University, 77–73, to close their respective seasons.
In the girls’ division, University of Santo Tomas pulled off a 73–71 victory over NUNS, denying the Lady Bullpups a sweep of the elimination round. Both squads finished with matching 5–1 records and will now face off in what promises to be a tightly contested Finals showdown.