Former UST Growling Tiger Allein Maliksi dazzled in his UST return as the Meralco Bolts overcame ex-Tiger Aljon Mariano’s Barangay Ginebra, 106-93, in the PBA on Tour on Wednesday, July 5.
Maliksi, who played one season for the Tigers and was drafted 8th by the Petron Blaze Boosters in the 2011 PBA draft, sizzled with 23 points in his UST homecoming.
Maliksi started the game strong, scoring 13 points in the first quarter alone, helping Meralco build an early 16-point lead, 37-21.
Ginebra cut the lead to 10 in the third quarter after Von Pessumal’s three, 71-61, but Meralco did not allow the Gin Kings to inch closer and ended the third quarter with a 15-point advantage, 91-76.
Mariano had eight points, four rebounds, and two steals. Pessumal led Ginebra with 26 points, while Jeremiah Gray put on 15.
In the first game of the day, the NLEX Road Warriors spoiled the homecoming of Northport Batang Pier’s team manager and new UST head coach Pido Jarencio after securing a 95-87 victory.
Northport was down by 13 points in the six-minute mark of the third quarter before pulling off a 10-4 run to close the gap by one, 67-66.
However, the Road Warriors widened the gap by 14 points, 93-79, to pull away with the win. Sean Anthony led NLEX with 25 points built on nine buckets and one trey.
NorthPort’s Paul Zamar scored 22 points, while JM Calma added 17 markers.
PBA hosted games at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion as part of the league’s “PBA on Tour” pre-season tournament.
“Malaking pasasalamat sa PBA commissioner Willie Marcial and coach Pido for facilitating this and trusting UST, several of our alumni have gone to the professional league and two of them are back at UST. It is a continued partnership,” UST Director of Communications Bureau Philippe Jose Hernandez told the Varsitarian.
The revenue generated from ticket sales will be contributed to the university’s program for student-athletes, UST athletics director Fr. Rodel Cansancio, O.P. said.
