Camille Naredo

UE's Mav Mesina celebrates against UST in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Finals on December 15, 2024 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. UAAP Media

UE's Mav Mesina celebrates against UST in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Finals on December 15, 2024 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum

Article (news)

UAAP Season 87 

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1734245354852UAAP87 JHSBB - ANDWELE CABANERO-8212.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="UST&#x27;s Andwele Cabanero is thrown out in the first quarter of Game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Finals on December 15, 2024 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. UAAP Media"/>UST&#x27;s Andwele Cabanero is thrown out in the first quarter of Game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Finals on December 15, 2024 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. UAAP Media</div>MANILA -- University of the East capitalized on the early ejection of Andwele Cabanero to take down University of Santo Tomas, 76-70, in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Finals on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.Cabanero was ejected at the 6:54 mark of the first quarter after striking Neil Garcia twice with a closed fist during a loose ball scuffle.Despite the predicament the Tiger Cubs were in, the Junior Warriors were still forced to battle against a resilient UST squad, which was fueled by the combined 62-point effort of Jhon Canapi, Miguel Jubilado, and Dustin Bathan.UST&#x27;s efforts fell short, however, as the Junior Warriors sent the best-of-3 Finals series to a deciding contest. There, UE will try to end a 39-year title drought in UAAP basketball, while the Tiger Cubs aim to capture their first UAAP high school basketball championship since Season 74 (2001).Cabanero, who starred in the Junior Warriors&#x27; 98-84 Game 1 win with 21 points, 16 rebounds, and eight assists, will miss the decisive Game 3 due to his ejection in this game.&quot;That&#x27;s the motivation: to bring UE another championship. As I&#x27;ve said, huwag kayo susuko &#x27;eh, and then we won, so bakit pa namin ibibigay ito? Ang dami na namin pinaghirapan, in and out the court, ito na &#x27;yon eh. Bakit pa namin ibibigay &#x27;eh nandito na kami sa Game 3,&quot; said UE head coach Andrew Estrella.With 2:23 left in the game, UE had a slim two-point lead after a five-point spurt by Jolo Pascual and an inside basket from Gab Delos Reyes.However, back-to-back layups by Jubilado and Canapi gave UST a 70-68 advantage with 1:44 remaining.Canapi then committed three consecutive fouls, setting the stage for six straight free throws—four from Mav Mesina and two from Garcia—giving UE a 74-70 lead with 20.3 seconds remaining.UST had a chance to close the gap, but Theodore Lim, who had taken most of Cabanero&#x27;s minutes, missed a crucial three-point attempt.Mesina then hit two more free throws, sealing UE&#x27;s hard-fought victory and keeping theirdream season alive.&quot;Ever since bata naman tayo, siguro kapag nagba-basketball, free throw is a common shot to make. I&#x27;ve made that shot more than a thousand times na, so what&#x27;s there to be scared about?&quot; Mesina, a 14-year-old combo guard from Malabon, said.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1734245376213UAAP87 JHSBB - MAV MESINA-8825.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="UE&#x27;s Mav Mesina celebrates against UST in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Finals on December 15, 2024 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. UAAP Media"/>UE&#x27;s Mav Mesina celebrates against UST in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Finals on December 15, 2024 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. UAAP MediaMesina bounced back from a tough Game 1 performance with 21 points on a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line, adding five assists, four rebounds, and one steal. He had been limited to just nine points on 3-of-12 shooting and seven turnovers in Game 1.</div>Garcia contributed a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, along with one assist and one steal.Delos Reyes also posted a double-double, tallying 11 points and a game-high 21 rebounds, while Pascual chipped in eight points, eight rebounds, and two assists.Canapi, a Mythical Team member, paced the Tiger Cubs with 21 points and 11 rebounds while Jubilado also had 21 points with nine rebounds.Bathan finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and a steal as they look to erase this memory and complete the job on Wednesday.<div>The Scores:</div>UE (76) - Mesina 21, Garcia 13, Delos Reyes 11, Bungar 9, Pascual 8, Okebata 7, Ferreros 5, Oraa 2, Panganiban 0, Orca 0.UST (70) - Canapi 21, Jubilado 21, Bathan 20, Castro 6, Lim 1, Balague 1, Villacarlos 0, Cabanero 0, Guinto 0.Quarterscores: 21-19, 40-36, 56-53, 76-70.

University of the East capitalized on the early ejection of Andwele Cabanero to take down University of Santo Tomas, 76-70, in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Finals on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

University of the East capitalized on the early ejection of Andwele Cabanero to take down University of Santo Tomas, 76-70, in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Finals on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

UAAP: UE drags UST to do-or-die in boys' hoops

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Basketball

UAAP: UE drags UST to do-or-die in boys' hoops

ABS-CBN News

Published December 15, 2024 02:50 PM PHT

Read More:

abssports

basketball

UAAP

UAAP Season 87

UAAP basketball

UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball

UE Junior Warriors

UST Tiger Cubs

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.