Clutch Figueroa and NU hand UST its first UAAP loss

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Jake Figueroa and the National University (NU) Bulldogs became the first team to taint the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers’ record, 76–69, in the ongoing UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament on Oct. 1, 2025, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

NU’s team captain and superstar forward silenced UST on its home court with a near-double-double performance of 22 points and nine rebounds, steering the Bulldogs to a perfect UAAP start with three wins without a loss.

Entering the matchup with identical 2-0 win-loss records, both schools engaged in a quick mano-a-mano affair, trading scoring runs that kept the game close for four full quarters.

However, it was in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter when the Bulldogs separated themselves from UST, thanks to a masterful closeout outing from Figueroa, who scored the five most important cold-blooded points.

With 1:55 remaining in the slugfest, Figueroa stretched NU’s advantage to three points after cashing in a step-back perimeter jumper from the left elbow in front of UST’s bench.

Nic Cabañero answered on the other end to trim UST’s deficit back to a point, but Figueroa buried the dagger trey with only 40 seconds left that helped NU seal the deal and tie Ateneo’s unbeaten 3–0 record.

UST had several chances to inch closer and revive its comeback hopes, but a disciplined defensive stand from the Bulldogs held the Growling Tigers scoreless in the last stretch of the game.

Aside from Figueroa’s late-game heroics, NU also limited UST’s foreign student-athlete (FSA), Collins Akowe, to a season-low scoring performance of five markers.

After averaging 24.5 points and 18 rebounds against the UP Fighting Maroons and the DLSU Green Archers, Akowe found himself in a tight hole, facing a tough NU interior defense anchored by Omar John and several double-teams deployed down the post.

Akowe converted only a single field goal out of seven attempts and grabbed eight rebounds, a subpar performance that resulted in UST’s lowest-scoring output of the UAAP season.

Backstopping Figueroa during NU’s momentum-boosting win was John, who stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, 12 rebounds, three blocks, three assists, and two steals.

“The players really worked hard talaga na makuha ito,” said NU head coach Jeff Napa after the impressive dub.

“Happy for our guys na talagang they followed the game plan. They are disciplined to do it. The effort is there.”