Jhon Canapi of UST in action against UE in Game 1 of the Finals of the UAAP Season 87 Junior High School Basketball Tournament, December 11, 2024 at the Mall of Asia Arena. UAAP Media

MANILA -- University of Santo Tomas is now just one win away from clinching the championship in the UAAP Junior High School Basketball Tournament after a dominant performance in Game 1 of the Season 87 Finals.  

What was expected to be a tightly contested matchup between the Tiger Cubs and the top-seeded University of the East Junior Warriors turned into a lopsided affair as UST crushed UE, 98-84, on Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.  

Jhon Canapi led the charge with 30 points on 11-of-22 shooting -- 5-of-11 from deep, six rebounds, three steals, and one assist.

Miguel Jubilado added 23 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and three blocks, while Andwele Cabanero flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 21 points, 16 rebounds, and eight assists.  

The trio combined for 74 points, leading UST to the cusp of its first high school basketball title since Season 64 (2001) when Jun Cortez led the Tiger Cubs to the top.

"Malaking bagay silang tatlo, pero pati sila [Dustin] Bathan at [Gab] Castro... Lahat naman nag-step up," UST head coach Noli Mejos said.

"Malaking bagay ito especially kung mabreak namin yung streak na 'yan, lalo na sa grupo namin. Nung 2001, Team B player pa ako ng UST… Ngayon, mas gusto ko makuha para matapos yung ilang years na hindi nagcha-champion," added Mejos as they could clinch the title on Sunday, December 15 at 10 a.m.

UST rode the momentum of a six-game winning streak, including two Final Four victories over Far Eastern University-Diliman, to topple a UE squad that had won 14 of its previous 15 games.

The Tiger Cubs handed the Junior Warriors only their second loss of the season, the first being against the Baby Tamaraws on November 24.  

Despite losing both elimination-round games to UE, including a narrow 78-80 defeat in their second-round encounter last October, UST proved they could rise to the occasion.

The Tiger Cubs took command in the second quarter, outscoring the Junior Warriors 33-14 to build a 59-35 halftime lead.

The trio of Canapi, Jubilado, and Cabanero kept the momentum going with a flurry of three-pointers in the fourth quarter, extending the lead to 94-65 and putting the game out of reach.

"Magpre-prepare lang kami ng maayos. Yung mga utos ng coaches, gagawin namin. Papaghandaan namin ng mabuti yung Game 2 para makuha na namin yung championship at matapos na yung drought namin," said Canapi, the 15-year-old scoring ace of UST who is part of the Mythical Team.

Gab Castro contributed 10 points, three rebounds, and one assist, while Dustin Bathan chipped in eight points, six assists, five rebounds, and three steals.  

UST shot 50-percent from the field in the period and dominated the boards, grabbing 19 rebounds to UE’s five. Moreover, UST knocked down 12 triples in the game compared to just two for UE.

For UE, Mav Mesina struggled, scoring just nine points on 3-of-12 shooting, including 1-of-10 from beyond the arc.

Kiefer Panganiban and Gabriel Oraa led the Junior Warriors with 14 points each, while Enrico Bungar added 12 points and six assists.  

The Scores:

UST (98) - Canapi 30, Jubilado 23, Cabañero 21, Castro 10, Bathan 8, Balague 6, Guerrero 0, Guinto 0, Duenas 0, Villacarlos 0, Aguilar 0, Lim 0, Javier 0.

UE (84) - Oraa 14, Panganiban 14, Bungar 12, Garcia 11, Delos Reyes 11, Pascual 10, Mesina 9, Ferreros 2, Okebata 1, Orca 0.

Quarterscores: 26-21, 59-35, 78-56, 98-84.