The UST Growling Tigers ended their UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball first-round campaign with a 25-point loss to the defending champions UP Fighting Maroons, 76-51, at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo on Saturday.
The Tigers’ only win came in their opener against the Adamson Soaring Falcons on Oct. 1. The Tigers has since lost their six next matches.
Nic Cabañero scored 10 straight points in the fourth quarter to cut the UP lead to 11, 60-49, as the Tigers tried to mount a late comeback.
However, the Fighting Maroons blocked UST’s comeback chances with a game-sealing 16-2 run for the win.
Terrence Fortea and Zav Lucero led UP with 14 and 12 points, respectively.
Adama Faye, in his first game back from a one-game suspension, tallied a 15-point, 13-rebound double-double. Cabañero scored 14 points.
The Tigers continued their shot-making struggles as they only converted 27.9 percent of their shots from the field. In contrast, UP shot 41.8 percent in the game.
UST shot 3-of-22 from three, while UP went 9-of-27.
The Tigers ended the first round in eighth place with a 1-6 record. UP, with its three-game winning streak, improved to 6-1.
The UAAP has yet to release the second-round schedules of its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.
