CABS Cabonilas delivered when it mattered most, lifting FEU-Diliman to a 77-73 Game 1 win over NU-Nazareth School in the UAAP Season 88 juniors basketball Finals on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym.
The newly crowned MVP rose to the occasion, scoring the game’s final seven points - including a go-ahead hook shot and a cold-blooded wing jumper - to carry the Baby Tamaraws one win away from the title.
Also the No. 1 player in the NBTC's annual rankings of the best under-19 players in the Philippines, Cabonilas stuffed the stat sheet with 19 points and 16 rebounds along with three assists, two blocks, and one steal.
“Sa’kin lang, lamang yung NU kanina, pero inisip ko, ilalaban ko yung team ko kahit anong mangyari sa akin,” he said, as he battled through cramps late in the contest.
“Hindi ako susuko para makuha namin yung panalo. Kailangan lang parating makikinig kay coach Mike [Reyes],” he added.
It was a tight tiff from the start, with both teams deadlocked at 38-all at halftime before the Bullpups appeared to take control in the third quarter behind the backcourt tandem of Mot Matias and Shaun Lucido, who powered them to a 55-45 lead.
But FEU-D refused to fold.
Sam Hall drained two timely triples late in the third, igniting a momentum shift that carried into the fourth, as the Baby Tams grabbed a 72-68 edge.
Matias answered with a triple, while Chad Cartel chimed in a midrange jumper to briefly restore a one-point lead for NUNS.
'Because he's Cabs'
From there, it was all Cabs.
“Because he’s Cabs. Because he’s MVP,” said first-year head coach Reyes.
“We give the ball to him because he won’t force shots, he makes the right decisions. That’s what you need when you have a main man.”
Khean Esperanza added 12 points, six rebounds, and two assists, while Hall and Assan Gaye chipped in 12 apiece.
For the Bullpups, Lucido led the way with 19 points, while Matias and Cartel finished with 16 and 10, respectively.
FEU-D moved to the brink of its first juniors title since Season 85 and will try to close out the series on March 26 at the same venue.
The Scores:
FEU-D 77 - Cabonillas 19, Esperanza 12, Hall 12, Gaye 12, Burgos 8, Rañeses 6, Cagurungan 5, Alagaban 2, Enriquez 1, Cariño 0, Sohm 0, Santos 0, Dulin 0.
NUNS 73 - Lucido 19. M. Matiast 16, Cartel 10, Juan 10, Cabantog 7, Bouzina 5, Diakite 4, R. Matias 2, Figueroa 0.
Quarters: 22-18, 38-38, 55-59, 77-73
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
