The UST Growling Tigers secured their first UAAP Final Four berth in four years, after the UP Fighting Maroons eliminated the DLSU Green Archers to clinch the second seed Sunday.
The Tigers will enter the semis at fourth seed, and will face either the Far Eastern University Tamaraws or the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles.
Both UST and FEU finished with similar 8-6 records, but the Tamaraws had the better quotient after a double-digit victory over the Tigers in their second-round encounter.
The Ateneo Blue Eagles, who remain undefeated in 13 games, will force a stepladder format if they beat UP on Wednesday in their elimination round finale.
In case Ateneo sweeps the eliminations, they will be assured of a finals berth, and a stepladder format will commence where UST and FEU will face each other in a do-or-die match, the winner of which will battle a twice-to-beat Fighting Maroons squad.
The winner of the FEU/UST-UP matchup will then advance to the finals to face the twice-to-beat Blue Eagles.
But if UP upsets Ateneo, the Blue Eagles will face the Tigers and need only a win to enter the finals. The Maroons will also enjoy a twice-to-beat edge over FEU in the other semifinal match.
