THE UST Growling Tigers took their last bow in Season 73 with a sorry loss in a no-bearing game against the National University (NU) Bulldogs, 54-62, last September 9 at the Big Dome as they cruised to an early vacation after missing the Final Four bus for the first time since their championship four years ago.
“We had a hard time looking for good players this season and they (Tigers) failed to grab hold of their crucial matches,” said a lowly coach Pido Jarencio after going home with a dismal 4-10 record at seventh place, their lowest output since their Cinderella run in 2006.
NU big man Emmanuel Mbe who reigned from down low scattered 18 points capitalized by his two heart-stopping slams in the first and final canto.
The Tigers went on a hot pursuit at the start of second half as Jeric Teng and Jeric Fortuna gave the Bulldogs a slight scare after showcasing UST’s signature outside-shooting prowess as they converted five baskets from the three-point zone to cut down NU’s lead to six, 42-48, midway the third period.
But Teng and Fortuna’s scoring tandem in the pay-off period could not break the 10-point advantage set by the Bulldogs with Mbe safeguarding the lead down the last tick, 54-62, to bring home the win for the Bustillos-based cagers.
Teng led the scoreboard with 20 points while Fortuna chipped in 14 markers. Jul-ashri Ignacio and Jewel Ponferrada gave Mbe enough lift, adding 15 and 10 points a piece for the Bulldogs.
Prior to their loss against NU, the Tigers failed to spoil Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles’ bid for a twice-to-beat incentive, 77-81, last September 5.
The Tigers relied on Clark Bautista’s deadly triggers from beyond-the-arc for a phenomenal 17-3 comeback, 77-80, down the three-minute mark of the final quarter.
UST almost made it a one-point game when Carmelo Afuang attempted a lay up with less than 30 seconds to go but bounced off and grabbed by Ateneo’s Kirk Long for a foul call.
Long’s charity basket sealed the deal for the Blue Eagles, 77-81.
Meanwhile, the Tigers lost their slim chanceof making it to the Final Four after folding to the De La Salle Green Archers, 69-78, last September 2.
The black-and-gold squad managed to break away from the full-court press De La Salle but was not able to contain the exploits of Archers’ Maui Villanueva and Samuel Marata that posted a 13-point lead, 55-68, down the last five minutes of the final period.
Teng pulled out a quick jumper followed Fortuna’s split charities to trim the lead down to six, 67-73, going into the final minute of the game.
But the Archers ensured the win after Simon Atkins and Joseph Tolentino sank their last freethrows to wrap it up, 78-69, for De La Salle.
Afuang scored 19 points for the the Tigers while Joshua Webb and Atkins tallied 14 points a piece for the
Box Scores:
UST (54) – Teng- 20, Fortuna- 14, Camus- 6, Pe- 5, Bautista- 5, Mamaril- 2, Afuang- 2, Marata – 0, Lo- 0, Daquioag- 0, Marquez- 0, Mariano- 0, Aytona- 0.
