Games on Saturday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7:30 a.m. – UST vs ADMU (U16)
9:30 a.m. – UE vs NUNS (U16)
11:30 a.m. – UE vs NU (Women)
1:30 p.m. – UE vs NU (Men)
4:30 p.m. – UST vs ADMU (Men)
7 p.m. – UST vs ADMU (Women)
UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas (UST) scored a wire-to-wire 109-97 win over the listless University of the East (UE) and created a slight separation from the pack for the coveted fourth seed in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The UST Growling Tigers broke the gates wide open at 33-16 and never relaxed from there en route to their first but much-needed win in the second round that propelled them to a solo fourth place for now with a 5-5 slate.
Santo Tomas, which waxed hot early with a 5-1 start after big wins against top contenders University of the Philippines (UP) and De La Salle University, snapped a four-game skid for a momentary breather from Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) (5-5), Adamson University (5-6) and Far Eastern University (4-6) in a mad scramble to the Final Four with three games to go.
“It was a tough stretch for us with four straight losses. We stuck together,” said assistant coach Japs Cuan as the Growling Tigers brace for a crucial outing against the ADMU Blue Eagles right behind them this Saturday.
Nic Cabañero scored a game-high 19 points in only 23 minutes of play, including 11 in the second half, while Collins Akowe hauled down a 16-16 double-double for Santos Tomas in a repeat win over UE after an almost similar 111-99 win in the first round.
Gelo Cristostomo, Forthsky Padrigao and Amiel Acido had 14, 11 and 10 points, respectively, as all but one of 15 Growling Tigers racked up the scoring board in the coast-to-coast win.
Licking the wounds of a stinging 89-88 defeat to reigning champion UP, Santo Tomas imposed its will right from the get go and went cruise control with a 27-point lead in the third quarter before needing one last hurrah to fend off any comeback left from the hungry UE out to post a maiden triumph.
The UE Red Warriors came to as close to 83-92 on a 23-10 rally in the last three minutes but the Growling Tigers were quick to restore order on an 8-0 retaliation capped by Mark Llemit’s triple on their way to a 12-point win.
Wello Lingolingo posted 18 points while Dylan Despi and Precious Momowei tallied 17 points apiece to lead the also-ran Red Warriors (0-11), who absorbed their 18th straight defeat dating back to the second round last season after an impressive 5-2 start.
In women’s basketball, Kent Pastrana rifled in a career-high of 35 points as Final Four-bound Santo Tomas (11-0) moved closer to a season sweep after a 125-50 trashing of UE (0-11), which slid to its 22nd straight loss since ending a 40-game skid last season. — John Bryan Ulanday
The Scores:
First Game
UST 109 – Cabañero 19, Akowe 16, Crisostomo 14, Padrigao 11, Acido 10, Paranada 7, Llemit 6, Estacio 5, Buenaflor 5, Danting 5, Calum 4, Manding 3, Bangco 2, Laure 2, Bucsit 0 UE 97 – Lingolingo 18, Despi 17, Momowei 17, Jimenez 15, Lagat 13, Cruz-Dumont 9, Datumalim 7, Distrito 1, Tañedo 0, Mulingtapang 0, Malaga 0, Robles 0
Quarterscores: 33-16, 57-41, 87-67, 109-97
