The UST Growling Tigers leveraged a scorching fourth quarter to defeat the Ateneo Blue Eagles for the first time in nine years, 74-64, in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, Sept. 11.
This win ended a 17-game losing streak against Ateneo that had stretched over nine years. UST’s last win over the Blue Eagles was on Sept. 26, 2015, during the second round of Season 78, when the team was spearheaded by fan favorites Kevin Ferrer and Ed Daquioag.
This also marked the first time UST defeated an Ateneo team coached by Tab Baldwin.
Facing his former team, with which he won the championship in Season 85, Padrigao contributed six points and a game-high nine assists.
Down by four in the fourth quarter, 60-56, UST launched a 16-0 run to snatch the victory.
“Nakuha namin ‘yong momentum namin especially noong 4th quarter, nagtuloy-tuloy,” head coach Pido Jarencio said postgame.
“Si Forthsky, leader ng team, [he was] directing the place, controlling the game. ‘Di na ako nag-timeout e. Tinatanong ko sila kung kailangan ba nila ng timeout, sabi nila ‘Hindi na coach, para ‘yong momentum nasa amin.’”
UST’s big men Mo Tounkara and sophomore Gelo Crisostomo took full advantage of Ateneo star Chris Koon’s absence, each scoring a team-high 16 points and grabbing 14 and 10 rebounds, respectively.
After UST surged to a 16-12 lead in the first frame, Blue Eagle Kristian Porter connected on a three-pointer, igniting a 7-2 run that gave Ateneo a 19-18 lead at the end of the period.
The two teams went back-and-forth in the second quarter until rookie Jarred Bahay nailed a 3-pointer that allowed Ateneo reclaim the advantage, 34-31.
After trailing by four at the half, 41-37, the Tigers surged ahead as Mo Tounkara scored the first six points of the third quarter, followed by Nic Cabañero’s and-1 to shift the score to 46-41.
However, the Blue Eagles trimmed UST’s lead to three heading into the fourth, courtesy of Sean Quitevis and Ian Espinosa’s buckets.
Tounkara shifted the momentum again in the fourth, converting a layup that sparked a 16-0 run. Key shots from Cabañero, Forthsky Padrigao, and Mark Llemit expanded the lead to 12 points late in the quarter, 72-60.
Cabañero and Llemit chipped in 11 and 10 markers, respectively.
Lazaro led Ateneo with 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Bahay struggled, scoring only three points on 1-for-9 shooting.
The Growling Tigers will look to remain undefeated against the Adamson Soaring Falcons at the same venue on Sunday, Sept. 15, at 3:30 p.m.
