FEU-D Baby Tamaraws Advance to UAAP Junior High Semifinals with Victory Over Adamson

The Far Eastern University-Diliman (FEU-D) Baby Tamaraws have earned their place in the next round of the UAAP Season 88 Junior High School Basketball stepladder semifinals after a commanding 90-76 win against the Adamson University Baby Falcons on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

FEU-D was driven by the impressive play of Dwyne Enriquez and Prince Cariño, who helped maintain control throughout the game and thwart multiple attempts by Adamson to close the gap.

The Baby Tamaraws held a steady lead for much of the first half but faced pressure in the third quarter when Adamson narrowed the deficit to six points at 53-47. It was at this critical moment that Enriquez stepped up, delivering a clutch performance by scoring 16 of his 29 points during the period to preserve a 69-60 advantage heading into the final quarter.

Despite the Falcons’ persistent efforts, which included cutting the lead to five points early in the fourth quarter at 75-70, FEU-D responded with resilience. Cariño and Enriquez, with crucial support from Andrei Chavez and Kyle Mojica, spearheaded an 11-2 run that sealed the victory.

Enriquez concluded the match with an outstanding stat line of 29 points, four rebounds, four assists, three steals, and two blocks. Cariño complemented his backcourt partner’s effort by dominating inside with a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds.

FEU-D head coach Muriel Garcia praised her team’s determination, stating, "We emphasized that no matter how hard the opponent fights back, we must keep playing and never stop our efforts."

Adamson’s Fran Flores delivered a remarkable final performance for the Baby Falcons, tallying 31 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals.

With this win, FEU-D advances to the stepladder semifinals to face the second-seeded University of Santo Tomas (UST) Tiger Cubs on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum. The Baby Tamaraws will aim to avenge two earlier losses to UST, including a significant 108-70 defeat in the elimination rounds.