Tiger Cubs end 24-year wait to leave something behind for UST
UST Tiger Cubs celebrate winning the UAAP Season 87 boys basketball championship. They beat NUNS in 3 games. –UAAP PHOTO
The latest chapter in the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs’ story took nearly a quarter century to write.
On Thursday, they ended a 24-year title drought in UAAP high school boys’ basketball, outlasting the National University-Nazareth School Bullpups in a pulsating 83-77 overtime triumph at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
“From the very start, this was never about just winning games,” said head coach Manu Iñigo. “My goal has always been to help as many young players as possible reach the next level. I want to connect all this history to the boys we’ve guided—because that’s what truly matters.”
The path to glory wasn’t easy. UST had fallen short with back-to-back fourth-place finishes in Seasons 85 and 86. But this year, they returned with a sense of purpose and a lot of self-faith.
“We believed in each other,” said team captain Koji Buenaflor. “Even when people doubted us, we kept fighting. This win is for everyone who stayed with us during the hard times.”
They almost let it slip. NU erased a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime. But instead of breaking, UST dug deeper.
“We didn’t care who was leading,” Iñigo said. “Our focus was to win every quarter. Against a team like NU, no lead is safe. We were lucky in overtime—that’s what made the difference.”
Finals MVP Racine Kane, who joined the squad from Senegal, delivered a commanding performance with 28 points and 17 rebounds.
“After Game 2, Coach told me this was our last chance,” Kane said. “So we gave everything—for UST, for our brothers, and for Coach.”
Kirk Cañete added eight points and flirted with a triple-double with 10 rebounds and 10 assists, while Charles Esteban, Wacky Ludovice, and Carl Manding provided crucial support.
“This is more than a championship,” said Cañete. “It’s about leaving something behind. It’s about making history for UST.”
The Tiger Cubs’ win, following the Junior Growling Tigresses’ title, completed the first-ever “golden double” in UAAP high school basketball since the introduction of girls’ basketball in 2020.—INQUIRER SPORTS STAFF
