The UST Growling Tigers secured a spot in the semifinals of the Pinoyliga Cup – The Big Dance after surviving the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) Pirates, 77-73, on Saturday, Aug. 29, at the Blue Eagle Gym.
Landyn Jumawan led the Tigers with 17 points, four rebounds and one assist, while Mark Llemit and Gelo Crisostomo contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Despite the absence of big man Collins Akowe, UST controlled the boards with a 51-38 rebounding advantage and also led LPU in assists, 18-10.
UST fell behind 13-5 early in the opening quarter before consecutive baskets from Koji Buenaflor cut the deficit to two, 13-11.
Crisostomo’s layup tied the game at 18-all before Axl Manuel knocked down a triple with less than five seconds left to give LPU a 21-18 lead after the first quarter.
The Tigers erased most of LPU’s six-point advantage, cutting the gap from 29-23 to 39-37, but a long-range shot from Mclaude Guadaña restored the Pirates’ momentum and sent them into halftime ahead, 42-37.
Crisostomo powered UST in the third quarter as the Tigers outscored the Pirates, 22-17. Nath Fuentes’s basket tied the game at 59-all heading into the final frame.
With the game knotted at 62-all, UST unleashed an 8-3 run capped by a Jumawan 3-pointer to seize a 70-65 advantage.
Renz Villegas’s layup pulled LPU within two at 75-73 with 24 seconds remaining, but a costly Pirates turnover and a foul on Lorenzo Abellar that resulted in two bonus free throws sealed the Tigers’ 77-73 victory.
Villegas paced LPU with 19 points, four rebounds and two assists.
The Tigers will take on the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles in the semifinals on Monday, Aug. 31, at the same venue. Jay-z V. Perez
