WHEN the UST Growling Tigers took the court against defending UAAP mens’ basketball champions, De La Salle University, many expected another victory for the Green Archers.
But what nobody had expected last July 27 by both UST and DLSU fans at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum was the tough stand put up by the original “four-peat” champions.
In one of the Archers’ toughest games so far this season, De La Salle staved off a fierce rally by the Tigers to win, 81-76, and remain unbeaten in the UAAP mens’ basketball tournament.
Showing shades of their original championship form, UST played well above everybody’s expectations for the first three periods where the score was tied at 59-all after a buzzer beating basket by Xavier standout Joseph Yeo.
The fourth quarter made the biggest difference in the game as the defending champions showed the Tigers how to play cool under pressure.
With Mike ”Cool Cat” Cortez and Yeo scoring the big baskets, UST wilted once more.
After UST’s Cyrus Baguio’s short jumper gave the Tigers the 67-65 advantage, Cortez scored back-to-back baskets, the last of which was a three-pointer with the shot clock winding down to give DLSU the 70-67 lead.
Another 8-0 run by the Archers forced UST to call for a time-out with DLSU on top, 78-71.
Two free throws by Baguio cut the lead to five. An offensive foul by Yeo gave ball possession back to UST for a chance to inch closer to the De La Salle lead.
Forced three-point shots by Hubalde and Luanzon with enough time left in the game spelled the Tigers’ doom.
The heartbreaking loss was UST’s eighth straight to DLSU. The Tigers’ last victory over the Green Archers was on Sept. 30, 1999, in game one of their UAAP championship match at the Philsports Arena where UST won 62-60. UST dropped the next two games to start the Tigers’ losing run to De La Salle.
The game was not a complete loss however as UST showed that they could match up with De La Salle at least for three quarters, despite being outmatched by the Green Archers in almost every position.
UST likewise showed consistency from the free-throw line, something that they lacked last year, to help them keep pace with their ‘90s rivals.
The Tigers’ dunking duo led UST’s scoring with 15 points apiece while center Alwyn Espiritu added 12.
Cortez, Mark Cardona, and Manny Ramos scored, 17, 13, and 10 points, respectively, for De La Salle.
UST dropped to third place to tie University of the East with identical 2-2 win-loss records.
Tigers pound Maroons
Meanwhile, in a rare display of total game dominance, the UST Growling Tigers bamboozled the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 92-75, last July 25 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The Tigers were in the groove against UP as UST almost made most of their shots from the field.
UST raced to an early 15-point advantage, 36-21, behind the sterling plays of Tiger Warren De Guzman and second-year player Jarod Vizcarra.
The Tigers had complete control of the game all throughout until UP guard Mike Bravo suddenly waxed hot with his outside shooting.
With Bravo almost scoring at will, UP was able to cut UST’s lead to four, 56-52, with 7:20 remaining in the third quarter.
UP’s sudden uprising caused UST coach Aric Del Rosario to panic and call for a time-out.
Del Rosario’s move proved successful as UST regained its composure and posted a 19-point lead, 77-58, at the end of the third canto.
UST had its biggest taste of the lead at 21, 88-67, after Niño Gelig scored on a difficult three-point bomb at the 2:13 mark of the fourth quarter.
With UST breathing comfortably with their lead, the Tigers then went off to showcase their acrobatic skills.
Luanzon’s alleyoop pass to Baguio earned them the crowd’s applause. But that would not end there as Gelig scored on a fastbreak dunk to bring the UST fans to their feet.
Even Espiritu had his share of the limelight after playing around with UP’s prized rookie, center Jay-Ar Reyes, who was held scoreless throughout the game.
Espiritu topscored for UST with 20 markers while Gelig added 15 for the Tigers, which also got 12 points apiece from De Guzman and Vizcarra. Baguio chipped in 10.
Bravo’s season-high 33 points went for naught as UP dropped to seventh place with a 1-2 record.
Growling Tigers pummeled by Eagles
On the other hand, faced with the herculean task of bringing down the high-flying Eagles, the UST Growling Tigers just had too much of Ateneo center Enrico Villanueva to drop a 95-85 decision last July 20 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The Tigers were neck-to-neck with Ateneo, dictating the game’s tempo early by hitting on their outside shots.
UST even led by seven, 35-28, after Derrick Hubalde made both of his free throws.
The match was thoroughly smooth flowing until UST point guard Jininio Manansala fell hard to the ground during a rebound play.
But the diminutive yet tough Tiger simply brushed it off and pointed to his jersey repeatedly to earn the crowd’s cheers and applause.
A three-point basket by last year’s Most Valuable Player, Ritchie Alvarez, followed by a basket by Ateneo palymaker Lewis Alfred Tenorio to cut UST’s lead to one, 44-43.
At the start of the third quarter, Ateneo immediately went to business. With UST missing their shots, Ateneo used their height advantage to outrebound the smaller Tigers.
Tenorio then made his presence felt after scoring back to back treys to put Ateneo ahead, 74-66, with 8:06 remaining in the quarter.
A monster dunk by Villanueva after making a spin move to evade two UST defenders literally took the fight out of the Tigers.
Tenorio’s final three-pointer with under a minute left served as the nail sealing the Tigers’ coffin as the Blue Eagles’ lead ballooned to 12, 92-80.
Villanueva scored a game-high 21 points while Alvarez and Tenorio pitched-in 18 and 17, respectively.
Hubalde topscored for UST with 15 while Baguio had 14 as UST slipped to 1-1. Dexter R. Matilla
