THE UST Growling Tigers marked their first win of the season by shutting down the defending champions DLSU Green Archers, 80-75, in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Foreign student-athlete Collins Akowe led the charge with an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Amiel Acido and Landyn Jumawan added a combined 27 markers and 10 boards.
UST encountered an early setback to open the first quarter as co-captain Gelo Crisostomo exited the match at the sixth-minute mark after reaggravating the same knee injury he had last Sunday against the UP Fighting Maroons.
After Joaquin Tovera and Doy Dungo’s back-to-back layups that gained La Salle a short 11-12 lead but UST ended the first frame with a 8-4 run capped-off by Koji Buenaflor’s layup and Acido’s basket-and-one, 24-16.
The España-based squad ballooned its cushion to double-digits in the second quarter capitalized off paint baskets by Akowe and rookie Charles Esteban, 35-22, but the Taft-based squad trimmed their deficit back to 40-37.
Acido and Vhoris Marasigan exchanged blows beyond the arc one-minute, 43-40, but Acido again backed it up with a layup to secure a before the half, 45-40.
The match saw the Green Archers erase the Tigers’ lead twice after halftime, but Acido’s three-pointer and fastbreak layup kept UST ahead through the third quarter despite their turnover woes, 61-56.
UST started off hot in the fourth period, but La Salle managed to go on another tight battle with a 12-5 blitz capped off by JC Macalalag’s points beyond the arc, 74-73.
With Jacob Cortez’s turnover missing the chance for an Archers lead, Akowe immediately shattered physicality over Luis Pablo with a post move, 76-73.
The Tigers survived a nip-and-tuck affair, as Akowe’s tight defense on Cortez and Acido making both free throws closed the door for a Green Archers lead.
Despite Macalalag’s successful layup off an Akowe goaltending violation, two points from the line by Acido sealed the Tigers’ first dub.
Marasigan and Abadam paced the defending champions in the loss with 29 markers combined.
The Tigers will undergo a two-week break before returning to action against the UE Red Warriors on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. F
