UAAP: Lagat even hungrier after UE’s breakthrough — ‘We want to win more’

University of the East’s Toper Lagat against Adamson University in UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball. UAAP Media.MANILA — It was an emotional victory for Toper Lagat as University of the East finally entered the win column after 30 consecutive losses spanning more than two years.

For the first time since October 26, 2024, the Red Warriors emerged victorious as they defeated Adamson University, 53-47, in UAAP Season 89, and the long-awaited triumph only left the UE gunner hungry for more.

“We want to win more,” Lagat told ABS-CBN News after finishing with 14 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal. The victory also snapped the Red Warriors’ 10-game skid this season.

More than serving as a huge sigh of relief, the win was a welcome breakthrough for UE, which also secured its first victory under head coach Paulo Hubalde after he took over the program in the middle of the campaign.

For Lagat, the optimism Hubalde has brought to the team has instilled confidence in the Red Warriors, so much so that they felt a win was on the horizon even before tip-off against Adamson.

“We’ve been vibing sa dugout, and we really felt it,” said Lagat, whose squad has shown steady improvement under Hubalde despite the losses.

“Most of us really felt like this was the day we were going to win.”

But beyond the positivity Hubalde has introduced, Lagat shared that embracing the lessons from their setbacks helped pave the way for the breakthrough.

“It’s really about not giving up,” said the sophomore scorer. “As long as there is a chance, I have to keep showing up every single day.”

“Iniisip ko lang na better days are ahead, and I also uplifted my teammates despite our struggles, na we should just believe that everything’s gonna happen at the right time.”

UE has three games left in its campaign, with University of Santo Tomas, National University, and Ateneo de Manila University serving as the Red Warriors’ final assignments.

For Lagat, while the road ahead remains challenging, those games present opportunities to continue building their culture that could benefit the program for years to come.

“We will celebrate this win, but in the remaining games, we’ll make the most out of it,” he said.