THE GROWLING Tigers succumbed to a 72-85 beating against NCAA defending champs San Beda Red Lions in their Filoil Flying V Pre-season Premiere Cup collision at the San Juan Arena last June 4.
San Beda relied on balanced scoring from its premiere players to outmuscle the dazed Tigers, who missed head coach Pido Jarencio due to leg pains.
The backcourt tandem of Jeric Fortuna and Jeric Teng combined for 41 points for UST, but were still no match to the total team effort of the Red Lions, which kept distance since the opening tip.
Wingman Garvo Lanete and Cameroonian big man Ola Adeogun had 12 points apiece to lead the charge for the Red Lions, who now has a 5-2 win-loss record. UST fell to 3-4 in Group A of the tourney.
The Lions dominated the Tigers from the get-go, mounting a 14-3 run early in the first quarter. UST simply had no answer to San Beda’s fluid offense that exposed a variety of cracks in the Tigers’ defense.
The torrid shooting of the Red Lions continued in the second quarter where they jacked up the lead to 15 and ended the half comfortably ahead, 31-46.
San Beda continued its scoring tear in the third canto, blowing the gates open with an 18-point lead midway through the period capped by a two-handed flush by Adeogun that further electrified the Bedan crowd.
Tiger’s Assistant coach Senen Dueñas admitted that the size difference of the players played a huge factor in the game. He said the undersized Tigers tried to respond with speed, but the Red Lions were bigger and stronger especially in the paint.
In the previous game, the Tigers squandered an 18-point lead and fell victim to cellar-dweller Arellano University Chiefs, 63-64, in their game last May 27.
“We were overconfident,” Jarencio said. “But I know we are capable of beating other collegiate teams.”
Defensive weapon Christopher Okpe, who played for only six minutes, gave Arellano the win on a go-ahead pass from Adrian Celada with 20 ticks left in the game.
An ankle injury suffered by Fortuna early in the fourth quarter worked to the Chiefs’ advantage as Arellano slowly chipped into the lead. Teng tried to play hero for UST but could not connect on a three in the dying seconds of the game.
Junior ball
The Tiger Cubs survived a late-game scare and prevailed over a gutsy Adamson University Baby Falcons, 70-66, last May 25.
The victory improved the Cubs’ win-loss record to 3-2, which was good for second place behind San Beda’s 4-0 card.
The game saw five players fouling out—three from the Cubs and two from the Baby Falcons.
The Cubs could not establish a solid defensive effort in the game, giving the Baby Falcons several opportunities to take the lead. After the half, the Cubs led by a whisker, 27-26, after the Baby Falcons rallied from five points down in the first period.
