NOT EVEN its vaunted on-court ferocity could lift the UST Tiger Cubs from the mire of disappointment as they continue to struggle in the UAAP Juniors Basketball wars.
The Tiger Cubs, who finished fifth in Season 69, nearly barged into the win column but waffled at crunch time anew to yield a 68-73 loss against the Adamson University Baby Falcons last July 28 at the opponent’s turf.
Late into the fourth quarter, the Tiger Cubs looked poised to notch their first win after leading by one, 65-66, with less than four minutes remaining.
But the Adamson defense held the Tiger Cubs to just three points, all via free throws, while scoring eight of their own in the remaining minutes of play to dash the victory hopes of the Tiger Cubs.
“Maturity in the end-game is the key to finally winning a game in the tournament,” Coach Allan Ascue told the Varsitarian.
With two more ountings in the first round, the Tiger Cubs, who averaged a losing margin of 9.4 points in their last five games, must win to avoid early elimination going into the second round.
“Our plays are working for us but what hinders our campaign is just poor decision making down the stretch,” he added.
Baby Falcon Gerard Ursabia scorched the net with 23 points while forward Mark Buendia paced the Tiger Cubs with 15 markers.
End-game collapse
With frayed nerves getting into the endgame picture once more, the Tiger Cubs absorbed a 58-60 heartbreaker against the University of the Philippines Integrated School Preps last July 22.
Down by seven with three minutes left in the fourth period, UST guard Sean de Sagon and pivot-man Genesis Manuel conspired in a 10-3 run that pushed UST to within one, 57-58.
But UP wingman Joel Tolentino sank two free-throws off a Gorby Aquino foul to give his team a three-point cushion with 30 seconds remaining.
UST could have narrowed the gap anew had Manuel gone 2-of-2 from the stripe after getting hammered by UP’s Joseph Marata. Instead, the lanky forward hit only the rear end of his gift shots with 10 ticks to go.
Although the Tiger Cubs regained the ball off an inbound error by the Diliman-based cagers, de Sagon and quarterback Bong Banquicio pruned the equalizer with ill-advised shots in the last eight seconds of the game en route to their fourth straight defeat.
The Tiger Cubs committed 23 turnovers compared to UP’s 18. Aquino led the España-based cagers with 14 points and 16 rebounds while Tolentino topped the Preps with a game-high 17 points and 10 boards.
Hampered from the get-go by a sputtering offense, the Tiger Cubs dropped a 79-94 contest to the De La Salle-Zobel Bengals last July 18.
Prior to their La Salle debacle, the Tiger Cubs took a 69-79 ribbing from defending champions Ateneo de Manila Blue Eaglets last July 14.
The Katipunan-based dribblers out-rebounded the gangling Tiger Cubs from both cylinders of the floor, 30-57. The España-based dribblers also shot a dismal 34.1 percent from the charity line.
Guard Adrian Francisco led the Tiger Cubs in a losing effort, contributing 17 markers and two assists while Ateneo sentinel Juami Tiongson scored a game-high 21 points.
In their first UAAP assignment, the Tiger Cubs fell short against the National University (NU) Bullpups, 64-74 last July 8 at the Blue Eagle Gym. The Bullpups effectively applied their full-court press in the final four minutes of play that led to a 20-7 NU blast.
The Tiger Cubs never got closer than 11 points the rest of the way. Point guard Jonathan Sarsonas led UST with 14 markers. With reports from Heinz Jassen D. Brobo
