MANILA, Philippines – It has been a tough five years for the UST Growling Tigers, but the pieces and momentum may finally be at a positive turning point as they earned a historic 74-64 win over the Ateneo Blue Eagles at the Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, September 11.
Not only did the once-mighty España empire rise to a 2-0 record for a share of first in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament — its best start in five years — but it also marked its first win over Ateneo in nine years, snapping a 17-game losing streak.
Soft-spoken, yet fearless forward Gelo Crisostomo showed glimpses of a possible breakout campaign with a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double on 7-of-9 shooting, tying frontcourt partner Mo Tounkara who also scored 16 on a 7-of-15 clip with 14 boards.
Locked in a fierce battle nearly from start to finish, UST found itself down 56-60 to Ateneo in the early goings of the fourth quarter.
Team leaders Nic Cabañero and former Eagles star Forthsky Padrigao, however, shook off their frigid shooting night and came up big when it mattered, draining clutch shot after clutch shot as the Tigers roared to a stunning 16-0 pullaway, ending with a Cabañero short stab right at the 2-minute mark, 72-60.
Shellshocked, Ateneo failed to rebound in time as UST wrapped up with an 18-4 finish, sealing the Tigers’ first win in the tenure of four-time UAAP champion Tab Baldwin, whose Eagles in turn fell to 0-2 for the first time under his watch.
Cabañero finished with 11 points, but needed to fire a 5-of-17 clip to get there. Padrigao was no better, scoring just 6 on 2-of-12 shooting, but did have a game-high 9 assists plus 3 boards.
“It’s all about the players. I just guide players, but they’re the ones who won the game,” said UST head coach Pido Jarencio in Filipino.
With Ateneo missing leader Chris Koon due to a serious-looking ankle injury last game, scrappy Eagles forward Joshua Lazaro continued his strong season start, albeit in another losing effort, with a game-high 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting to go with 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block in just 29 minutes.
Shawn Tuano scored 13 also in a decent personal start to the season. Ateneo rookie Jared Bahay, however, hit a brick wall with a forgettable 3-point, 5-assist line, and a team-worst -20 plus-minus.
The Scores
UST 74 – Tounkara 16, Crisostomo 16, Cabanero 11, Llemit 10, Padrigao 6, Robinson 6, Paranada 5, Acido 3, Lane 1, Manaytay 0, Estacio 0, Pangilinan 0.
Ateneo 64 – Lazaro 18, Tuano 13, Porter 10, Espinosa 8, Quitevis 4, Ong 4, Bahay 3, Espina 2, Balogun 2, Bongo 0, Edu 0, Reyes 0.
Quarters: 18-19, 37-41, 55-52, 74-64.
– Rappler.com