SAN JUAN CITY — Adamson University celebrated a historic victory in the UAAP high school boys basketball tournament by securing the title against National University-Nazareth School (NU-NS) with a decisive 90-73 win at the Filoil EcoOil Centre on Sunday.
According to Philippines News Agency, this triumph marks the first time Adamson has claimed the championship since 1993, ending a 31-year drought. The victory in Game 3 of the Season 86 championship was spearheaded by JC Bonzalida and Tebol Garcia, who both scored 15 points. Bonzalida also grabbed 10 rebounds, while Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) Mark Esperanza added 13 points, six rebounds, and four assists to the winning effort.
Adamson had a strong start in the series with a 77-71 win on February 4, but NU-NS bounced back with a 67-64 victory on February 7, setting the stage for the decisive match. Despite the loss, NU-NS's Nigerian standout Collins Akowe, who was named Season MVP, showcased his talent with 18 points, 13 rebounds, and three assists. Mac-Mac Alfanta contributed 16 points for the Bullpups.
The Baby Falcons had an impressive run throughout the season, winning all but one of their 14 elimination round games. Their only setback was last year's finals, where they were defeated by Far Eastern University-Diliman.
The final scores for the championship game were Adamson 90, with key contributions from Bonzalida, Garcia, Esperanza, Perez (11 points), Reyes (10 points), Carillo (9 points), Medina (8 points), Umali (5 points), and Sajili (4 points). NU-NS scored 73, with Akowe and Alfanta leading the scoring, followed by Tagotongan (12 points), Solomon (8 points), and Yusi (7 points).
The quarter breakdowns were 24-15, 43-32, 62-53, leading to the final 90-73, signaling a triumphant return for Adamson University to the pinnacle of UAAP junior basketball.