SKY Jazul took charge when it mattered most, carrying Ateneo on his young shoulders and keeping the title in Katipunan after a 21-18 victory over Far Eastern University-Diliman in the UAAP Season 88 16-and-under 3x3 basketball final on Sunday at Ayala Malls Manila Bay in Parañaque City.
Meanwhile, the Baby Tamaraws also captured the 19-and-under division title for the fourth straight season, ending the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs’ undefeated run with a 21-17 win in the final.
The Blue Eagles trailed 14-18 before the reigning Junior High School Boys’ 3x3 MVP took matters into his own hands.
Sky's the limit for Jazul
Jazul knocked down back-to-back deuces to tie the game at 18-all. Then, with 20.4 seconds left, the 5-foot-9 guard nailed a floater to give Ateneo a one-point lead.
After a defensive stop, Jazul found space and buried the gold-winning deuce from the upper-right elbow with 8.9 seconds remaining, sealing Ateneo’s back-to-back championship.
"Malas ako nung first five minutes. Hindi ako maka-shoot, so binawi ko sa mga crucial moments,” said the son of Letran legend RJ Jazul.
Jazul finished with 11 points built on four deuces, with support from JD Juangco (five points) and Franco Bernarte (four points).
“Bawi ‘to kasi hindi ako nakalaro nung last five games ng season namin sa 5-on-5. I just had to show everyone here that I'm still — even with a shoulder injury — I can be the best,” said Jazul. “So, I just did the rest of the work. And I thank my dad for supporting me, my mom, and all the S&C coaches."
Ateneo, which finished the elimination round as the second seed with a 5-2 record—including a 21-15 loss to FEU-D on Day 2—ousted De La Salle-Zobel in the semifinals, 19-11, behind Jazul’s nine points.
FEU-D, on the other hand, defeated University of the East, led by reigning 5-on-5 MVP Goodluck Okebata, 21-15 in the other semifinal pairing. Okebata and UE salvaged the bronze medal with a 22-13 win over DLSZ in the third-place match.
In the 19-and-under final, Marc Burgos, who is committed to the FEU seniors program, dropped 10 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field, including the match-winner with 2:10 remaining.
Cabs Cabonilas tallied four points and 12 rebounds, while JB Cagurungan added four points as well.
In the girls’ division, the Lady Bullpups dethroned the Junior Tigresses with a 20-13 victory.
Ruiza Olmos scored 10 points and grabbed three rebounds, while Zayden Rosano added five points and nine rebounds in the finale to cap a perfect 5-0 season.
In the girls’ third-place match, DLSZ routed Ateneo, 16-1.
The scores:
Girls Final:
NUNS 20 - Olmos 10, Rosano 5, Badajos 4, Cordero 1.
UST 13 - Oczon 4, Pinuela 4, Insoy 3, Petalcorin 2.
16U Final:
Ateneo 21 - Jazul 11, Juangco 5, Bernarte 4, Yoro 1.
FEU-D 18 - Enriquez 9, Chavez 5, Canete 3, Mojica 1.
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.
