NCAA Season 64 basketball tournaments


The 1988 NCAA basketball tournaments were the 64th year of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ' basketball tournaments. The San Sebastian Stags won both rounds of elimination, becoming outright champions of the seniors' division; the San Beda Red Cubs also won both rounds in the juniors' division, with the JRU Light Bombers coming in second.

Seniors' tournament

Elimination round

Format:
Season host is boldfaced.

Second round team standings

Season host is boldfaced.

Cumulative standings

In a rematch of the 1987 first round finale, San Sebastian prevailed over Letran 77–73 preventing a comeback from the Knights which cut the 38–58 SSC lead to a 2-point 71–73 deficit. Paul Alvarez tipped on a miss from a fellow Stag, but Letran's Robert Ruiz split his two free-throws to keep pace with SSC, 72–75. Marlon Bolabola put up a free-throw, then Melchor Teves grabbed the rebound, that led to Crizalde Bade converting two free-throws for SSC off a Jerry Ruiz foul.to put San Sebastian up for good 77–73.
In the penultimate second-round game for both teams, San Sebastian defeated Letran 85–84 as Eugene Quilban prevented Jerry Ruiz from catching the ball in a pick-and-roll attempt with 2.7 seconds left. With the Perpetual Altas needing to win to force a three-way tie for first, the Altas succumbed to a 14–4 SSC run with 5:20 to go in the second half to turn a 77–70 SSC lead to a 90–74 rout. The Stags held on to a 108–94 victory, clinching the second round pennant. With San Sebastian winning both halves of the elimination round, San Sebastian were named outright champions, their third league championship.

Juniors' tournament

Elimination round

Format:
Season host is boldfaced.

Second round team standings

Season host is boldfaced.

Cumulative standings

Season host is boldfaced.
The San Beda Red Cubs won the first round pennant after a ten-point victory over the JRU Light Bombers, after trailing at halftime 33–39. Needing to win to force a playoff for the second round pennant, the Light Bombers fell short to the Red Cubs at the final game of the second round when John Henry Reyes split his free-throw at the final seconds of the game, giving San Beda a 1-point 92–91 victory.