The Growling Tigers absorbed their 11th loss on Saturday, a 74-64 beating against the Ateneo Blue Eagles, in what has been UST’s worst UAAP season in the Final Four era.
Rookie coach Boy Sablan offered a reason, or perhaps, an excuse: “‘Yung mga player, ngayon lang naglaro. For next year, ready na sila.”
Sablan touted his Cameroonian recruit, the 6-foot-8 Steve Akomo, who will suit up for UST next season.
But first, Sablan has to deal with the present: a rather forgettable campaign only a year after the Tigers came close to winning the title.
On Saturday, the Blue Eagles outhustled the Tigers down the stretch to grab their ninth win in 13 outings.
Raf Verano and Mike Nieto buried a couple of 3-pointers to give the Eagles a 65-59 lead.
Jamil Sheriff kept it close for the Tigers after sinking a fadeaway jumper with 3:41 remaining. But Ateneo’s Anton Asistio nailed a cold-blooded three to put the game beyond UST’s reach.
UST team captain Louie Vigil had 14 points in his final game as a Tiger. Sheriff and Kent Lao have also exhausted their UAAP years.
Isaac Go led all scorers with 15 points.
Ateneo outrebounded the Tigers, 50-33, and converted 12 second chance points off of its 17 offensive boards. Ivan Ruiz L. Suing
