Tag: March 13, 2012

AFTER years of supremacy, the UST Tiger Spikers surrendered their crown to long-time arch-nemesis Far Eastern University (FEU), 27-25, 15-25, 25-19, 21-25, 13-15, in their best-of-three championship series at the Arena in San Juan last Feb. 29.

Tiger Spiker Salvador Juan Depante III registered 23 points while Mark Gil Alfafara and Christian Arbasto combined for 30 markers. Finals’ Most Valuable Player (MVP) Rodolfo Labrador Jr. fired up 22 points for FEU.

In the deciding set, the Tamaraws took advantage of Alfafara’s faulty attacks to erect an easy 0-4 advantage. UST bounced back through Depante’s kills to slash the deficit to one point, 10-11.

ONE OF UST’S most dominant big man has long been retired. So was Chris Cantonjos’ jersey No. 15.

But the 37-year-old former center remains as committed to the game in his capacity as head coach of the women’s basketball team and assistant mentor for the Growling Tigers.

Cantonjos played in an era where the Tigers were the most dominant force in collegiate basketball. With him on the bench were pivot man Dennis Espino and Siot Tanquingcen, now an accomplished coach in the pro ranks.

Cantonjos was part of the national team that won the gold both in the Southeast Asian Games and the Southeast Asia Basketball Association championships in 1997 and 1998, respectively.