UST's Charles Bucsit goes for a layup against UE in the UAAP Season 87 boys' basketball tournament, February 16, 2025 at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan. UAAP Media

MANILA -- Charles Bucsit converted a transition layup as time expired to lift the University of Santo Tomas to a thrilling 73-71 triumph against the University of the East in the UAAP Season 87 boys' basketball tournament, Sunday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

With the game tied at 70-all, Cebuano guard Lance Sabroso attempted to take matters into his own hands for the Junior Warriors but missed his layup badly.

Racine Kane secured the rebound and quickly threw a bounce pass to Bucsit, who sprinted down the floor.

The 19-year-old swingman from Santa Rosa, Laguna finished the fastbreak with a layup just as the buzzer sounded, sealing UST's eighth consecutive victory.

"Yung pagpasa sa akin ni Racine, nakita ko na four seconds pa. Eh, sini-simulate din namin 'to sa practice. Hindi ko sinasabi na sinakto ko pero kasi if napaaga ko yung tira, kaya pa nila mag-timeout," said Bucsit, who finished with 16 points and five rebounds.

UST had to claw its way back after trailing 59-50 late in the third quarter.

Kane tied the game at 66-all with 4:57 remaining before Bucsit scored four straight points to put the Tiger Cubs ahead by four.

Louie Bual, however, came up clutch for UE, sinking two crucial free throws with 54.2 seconds left to knot the score at 71-all—setting the stage for Bucsit's game-winner.

"Malaking bagay sa amin yung ganitong games. Malaking bagay yung experience na 'to na pagdating ng Final Four para hindi kami maninibago kapag dikdikan yung laro," said second-year Tiger Cubs head coach Manu Inigo.

Kane, the Senegalese forward who currently ranks second in the Best Foreign Student-Athlete race after the first round, led UST with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Wacky Ludovice and Koji Buenaflor chipped in 12 points each, with the 6-foot-7 Buenaflor also grabbing nine rebounds.

The loss was a tough blow for UE, which dropped into a three-way tie for fourth place alongside defending champion Adamson Baby Falcons and the De La Salle-Zobel Junior Archers, all with identical 4-5 records.

Earlier in the day, Adamson fell to league-leading National University Nazareth School, 71-49, while De La Salle-Zobel ended a four-game skid with a 73-62 win over the University of the Philippines Integrated School.

Meanwhile, FEU-Diliman bounced back from a two-game losing streak with a dominant 75-44 victory over Ateneo to hold onto solo third place.

The FEU-Diliman Baby Tamaraws during their game against Ateneo in the UAAP Season 87 boys' basketball tournament, February 16, 2025 at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan. UAAP Media

After a slow start that saw the Baby Tamaraws leading just 35-30 at halftime, they turned up the intensity with an 18-6 third-quarter surge to build a commanding 53-36 lead. FEU-D eventually led by as much as 35 points, 73-38, late in the contest.

"Siyempre, na-discuss namin sa practice yung last two games namin. Ang mindset namin is everyday at every game, nagi-improve kami. Ang sabi ko lang is depensa is our bread and butter at susunod dun ang opensa," said Baby Tamaraws head coach Denok Miranda, who also serves as FEU's head of basketball operations.

"Nag-respond sila sa halftime 'magic' ko. Ready naman sila sa challenge at pinrove nila ang caliber nila as a player."

Mico Pascual and Khean Esperanza led the balanced attack for FEU-D with 11 points each, with Pascual also hauling in seven rebounds.

MVP frontrunner Cabs Cabonillas filled the stat sheet with 10 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, and three blocks, while Sam Hall added 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting with nine rebounds.

For UE, utility forward Ethan Aguas paced the Junior Warriors with 17 points and five rebounds. Topeng Lagat contributed 13 points, while Edry Alejandro recorded a 10-point, 13-rebound double-double.

Ateneo, which dropped to 1-8, had only one player in double figures—Chris Urbina, who scored 15 points. Jay-M Leal was limited to five points and eight rebounds.

UPIS, meanwhile, remained winless in nine games.

The Scores:

FEU-Diliman vs Ateneo

FEU-D 75 - Pascual 11, Esperanza 11, Cabonilas 10 Hall 10, Salangsang 10, Godoy 9, Burgos 6, Gemao 4, Raneses 2, Gutierrez 2, Castillejos 0, Cagurungan 0, Dagcutan 0, Santos 0, Maierhofer 0, De Guzman 0.

Ateneo 44 - Urbina 15, Tan 7, Delos Santos 6, Leal 5, Kallos 3, Gatmaitan 2, Asistio 2, Lagdamen 0, Reyes 0, Trinidad 0.

Quarterscores: 17-14, 35-30, 53-36, 75-44.

UST vs UE

UST 73 - Kane 19, Bucsit 16, Ludovice 12, Buenaflor 12, Canete 6, Manding 4, Acido 2, Solon 2, Esteban 0.

UE 71 - Aguas 17, Lagat 13, Alejandro 10, Sabroso 10, Lorenzo 4, Bual 4, Bana 4, Diaz 4, Timbol 0, Cuevas 0, Almanza 0, Farochilen 0.

Quarterscores: 17-19, 41-41, 54-59, 73-71.