S87 Men's Badminton Finals: NU regains crown

NATIONAL University regained the UAAP Men’s Badminton crown dominantly, sweeping erstwhile titleholder Ateneo De Manila University, 3-0 in the Season 87 Final on Wednesday at the Rizal Memorial Badminton Hall in Manila.

The Bulldogs cemented their status as league's the most successful program with nine championships overall. 

NU also completed a seven-peat before losing the throne last year.

Lanz Zafra, who has returned from sitting out last season, provided the decisive wins for the Bulldogs in the tie and secured the school’s ninth championship in the event and the first title this season.

The Season 85 co-MVP teamed with Nestojan Tapales in the lone doubles match to outlast Season 86 co-MVP, Arthur Salvado Jr., and Season 86 Rookie of the Year, Lance Vargas, 23-21, 17-21, 21-17 in a marathon, 70-minute battle.

“Talagang pinaghandaan kasi namin ‘to. Tapos meron pa kaming mga galing ng injuries. Before, ‘yung kay Mark (Velasco) before. So, masayang-masaya kami. Kami talaga ang pinaka-masaya ngayon kasi talagang nabalik namin ang korona sa Jhocson,” said long-time head coach Jaime Llanes.

Zafra, a former national team pool member, opened the day for the Bulldogs with a rousing 21-15, 21-11 take of Vargas. The second-year ace pulled through from a deadlock at 9 in the opening game to zoom past his familiar foe and used that momentum to take the lead.

The 2023 Philippine Badminton Open men’s singles champion, Velasco, then made amends for last season’s meltdown and turned back reigning MVP Lyrden Laborte, 21-17, 12-21, 21-18, for the decisive cushion.

“Actually bago pa lang magsimula ‘yung second singles, sinabihan ko na siya. Psyched out ko na siya na gusto kong makita ‘yung Mark na nakilala ko, ‘yung since na pumasok siya sa NU kasi ‘yun ‘yung nawala sa kanya eh. Lagi kong pinapaalala sa kanya na kailangan niyang maibalik ‘yung confidence niya sa court,” said Llanes of his third-year ace.

On the other hand, University of the Philippines got the better of University of Santo Tomas for a third straight time in the third-place playoff, 3-0.

Enzo Rivera and Mark Anthony Bernal bounced back from the previous day’s lone season setback to clinch the bronze for the Fighting Maroons, 21-12, 21-12 against Lennox Cuilao and Bien Miraflor.

Jelo Albo, Season 85 Rookie of the Year, and Shan Clar put up a 2-0 lead for UP in the two singles match. Albo blasted Cuilao, 21-4, 21-7, while Clar fended off Ivan Tuazon, 21-16, 21-9.

The Golden Shuttlers finished in fourth this season.

NOTE: The men's badminton awarding ceremony will take place after the women's final  

(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team