THE UST Tiger Cubs faltered against the De La Salle Zobel Junior Archers, 79-86, in the penultimate game of the UAAP Season 80 boys’ basketball tournament eliminations at the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym Wednesday.
Junior Archer Rogil Carlos hit back-to-back baskets, including a dagger trey at the 1:48 mark of the payoff period, to extend the lead to as many eight points, 84-76.
UST’s Jezreel Villapando sank a corner triple with 58.8 ticks to go. But La Salle tightened its defense as Raven Cortez blocked two three-pointers by Villapando and CJ Cansino in the dying seconds.
“Dapat kung sino ‘yung mga players na nag-run [at] nakahabol, nag-stay na lang sana. Ina-accept naman namin ‘yung pagkakamali namin. I think number one [to consider] pa rin ‘yung sa defense kasi they were just ahead by a point tapos sayang lang din ‘yung shots na ‘di na-convert,” Tiger Cubs head coach Chris Cantonjos told the Varsitarian.
UST uncorked a 12-0 run late in the third canto to narrow down a 15-point deficit to three, 57-60.
Chris Calimag led La Salle with 19 points while Carlos chalked up 17 markers.
Cansino and Villapando scored 16 points apiece.
The Junior Archers also outrebounded UST, 50-36.
With the defeat, the Tiger Cubs have lost five of their last six games since the start of the second round.
UST is currently tied with Adamson University at fourth place with identical 6-7 win-loss records. Should the Tiger Cubs lose their next game against the Far Eastern University, they will be booted out of the Final Four.
The Tiger Cubs will face FEU on Feb. 11, Sunday, 1 p.m., at the same venue.
