THE UST Growling Tigers failed to secure back-to-back wins after succumbing to the DLSU Green Archers, 100-69, during the second-round opener of the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball tournament on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Despite tiger Echo Laure’s paint shot during a dramatic exchange of baskets in the final three minutes of the game, archers Evan Nelle and Kevin Quimbao’s three consecutive three-pointers overpowered UST’s efforts.
The tigers showed promise in the first quarter as Christian Manaytay scored a spot-up and three-point shots with Angelo Crisostomo’s hook shots and bank shots. But DLSU strung together successive baskets to take the lead, 29-21.
UST attempted to reduce the gap in the second frame with Kenji Duremdes’ three consecutive field goals and co-captain Nic Cabañero’s two bank shots. However, archers Mark Nonoy, JC Macalalag and Eral Abadam sequenced an eight-point run to widen the lead, 52-38.
The tigers had a sluggish third quarter after managing to score only 11 points as the Taft-based squad capitalized on UST’s turnovers with a dominant 23-11 performance led by archers Quiambao, EJ Gollena and Francis Escandor. DLSU held a 26-advantage against the struggling tigers, 75-49.
In the final quarter, the tigers mounted a comeback with Cabañero’s three-pointer and layup, Moore’s three-pointer and Ventulan’s alley-oop. But DLSU’s Ben Philipps, Jonel Policarpio and Raven Cortez responded with a flurry of baskets, increasing their lead, handing the tigers their seventh defeat.
Cabañero finished with 13 points, six blocks and two turnovers for UST, while Manaytay contributed 10 points and two turnovers.
The Taft-based team was led by reigning rookie of the year Quiambao, who tallied 22 points, six assists, three turnovers, five steals and one block. Policarpio, Cortez and Nelle also made significant contributions with 14, 13 and 11 points, respectively.
UST, which managed to avert a winless season when it edged FEU Tamaraws last Saturday, 68-62, fell to a 1-7 win-loss record. The DLSU Green Archers improved to 5-3.
UST will face the UE Red Warriors on Saturday, Oct. 28, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. F
