Camille Naredo

The NU Nazareth Bullpups in their game against La Salle Zobel in the UAAP Season 88 boys' basketball Final 4, March 15, 2026 at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City. UAAP Media

The NU Nazareth Bullpups in their game against La Salle Zobel in the UAAP Season 88 boys' basketball Final 4, March 15, 2026 at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.

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UAAP Season 88

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773565122792UAAP S88 19U BB - NUNS vs. DLSZ - Moussa Diakite - 1441.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="NU Nazareth&#x27;s Moussa Diakite in action against La Salle Zobel in the UAAP Season 88 boys&#x27; basketball Final 4, March 15, 2026 at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City. UAAP Media" width="960"/>NU Nazareth&#x27;s Moussa Diakite in action against La Salle Zobel in the UAAP Season 88 boys&#x27; basketball Final 4, March 15, 2026 at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City. UAAP Media</div>MANILA -- National University Nazareth School is headed to the Finals of the UAAP Season 88 boys&#x27; basketball tournament after overcoming De La Salle Zobel, 75-70, on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.For the top-seeded Bullpups, this is their third straight Finals appearance and 12th in the last 13 seasons.This time around, the collective efforts of Malian center Moussa Diakite, Chad Cartel, Shaun Lucido, Mot Matias and Kurl Figueroa sent NU Nazareth on their way to the best-of-3 championship, where they will play Far Eastern University-Diliman.The second-seeded Baby Tamaraws earlier eliminated No. 3 seed Ateneo de Manila University, 90-89.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/3/15/uaap-cagurungan-lifts-feu-diliman-past-ateneo-into-boys-basketball-finals-1432">READ: Cagurungan lifts FEU-Diliman past Ateneo, into boys&#x27; basketball Finals</a></div>The last time that the Bullpups and the Baby Tamaraws faced in the Finals was in Season 82 (2020), when a squad led by Terrence Fortea, Carl Tamayo, and Kevin Quiambao gave NUNS its eighth -- and most recent -- UAAP boys&#x27; basketball title.&quot;Credit sa Zobel; binigyan kami ng good fight. Credit din kay Coach Gian (Nazario) kasi kung ano yung ginawa niya doon, talagang nag-turnaround yung team nila. So, sa akin lang, itong game na ito, lesson pa rin sa amin. Though medyo hindi satisfying win, pero yung resiliency, yung composure nung ali, nandun,&quot; said NUNS head coach Kevin de Castro.Eager to atone for dropping both elimination round matches against the Bullpups, a full-strength Junior Archers lineup -- which welcomed the return of Nino Ferrer and Ken Atienza -- led for most of the game, maintaining a 54-48 lead in the third behind two Ferrer free throws and a Maco Dabao layup.NUNS, however, methodically crawled back, launching a 16-3 run that spanned until the 7:25 mark of the payoff period -- capped by a Lucido floater, a Diakite layup, and a Miekho Natinga triple -- to take a seven-point, 64-57 cushion.The Junior Archers staged one last stand as DLSZ rallied behind an eight-point spurt by Mark Borrero and a Dabao layup to steal away a slim 67-66 cushion with 3:22 left on the clock.At the end of the game, the Bullpups had the final laugh as NUNS finished the contest with a 9-2 surge -- capped by the dagger free throws of Matias and Diakite with less than 10 seconds to play -- to seal the program&#x27;s return trip to the Finals for the third consecutive season.Castro is now hoping that third time is the charm after settling for back-to-back silver-medal finishes across Seasons 86 to 87 with losses in the championship round to Adamson University and University of Santo Tomas, respectively.&quot;Pero, we have to overcome yung powerhouse na FEU-D. Alam naman lahat eh, nandun yung leading MVP si Cabs [Cabonilas]. So, magandang challenge for us. Kumbaga, this time around, yung third time namin kami naman yung underdog. Nandito kami sa experience na ito at new story siya for us,&quot; the coach said.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773565142510UAAP S88 19U BB - NUNS vs. DLSZ - NUNS Team - 1519.jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The NU Nazareth Bullpups in their game against La Salle Zobel in the UAAP Season 88 boys&#x27; basketball Final 4, March 15, 2026 at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City. UAAP Media" width="960"/>The NU Nazareth Bullpups in their game against La Salle Zobel in the UAAP Season 88 boys&#x27; basketball Final 4, March 15, 2026 at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City. UAAP Media</div>Diakite finished with 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, 13 rebounds, and one steal, while Cartel followed closely with 13 points, four rebounds, and two assists.Lucido added 11 points, six rebounds, two blocks, one assist, and one steal, while Matias had an all-around effort of 10 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals.On the other hand, DLSZ registered a breakthrough campaign in Season 88 in head coach Gian Nazario&#x27;s first year at the helm, finishing in fourth place to secure the program&#x27;s best placing since Season 79 (2016).Dabao left it all on the court in his final game with DLSZ, finishing with 23 points on 8-of-19 shooting, five assists, four rebounds, one steal, and one block. Ferrer finished with 17 points, four rebounds, one steal, and one block, while Nigerian center Yusuf Mikailu supplied a near double-double of nine points, 12 rebounds, and one block.<div> </div><div>The Scores:</div>NUNS (75) - Diakite 14, Cartel 13, Lucido 11, M. Matias 10, Figueroa 10, Cabantog 6, Natinga 6, R. Matias 2, Bouzina 2, Juan 1.DLSZ (70) - Dabao 23, Ferrer 17, Mikailu 9, Borrero 8, Arejola 4, Favis 3, Atienza 2, Ja. Alpapara 2, Jo. Alpapara 2, Llamas 0.Quarterscores: 17-21, 33-38, 54-54, 75-70.

National University Nazareth School is headed to the Finals of the #UAAPSeason88 boys' basketball tournament after overcoming De La Salle Zobel, 75-70, on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.

National University Nazareth School is headed to the Finals of the #UAAPSeason88 boys' basketball tournament after overcoming De La Salle Zobel, 75-70, on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.

UAAP: NU Nazareth ousts La Salle, advances to Finals of boys' basketball

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UAAP: NU Nazareth ousts La Salle, advances to Finals of boys' basketball

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Published Mar 15, 2026 05:00 PM PHT

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