THE UST Growling Tigers failed to end their nine-year drought against the DLSU Green Archers, losing by 21 points to the defending champions, 88-67, in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament at the SMART Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, Sept. 29.
It was the Green Archers’ 15th straight victory over the Tigers–a streak that began in 2015.
UST came out firing in the opening minutes as guard Mark Llemit glided inside to give his team a 10-point advantage, 18-8.
However, DLSU surmounted the deficit after an 11-0 run sparked by a three-pointer from Season 86 MVP Kevin Quiambao. The Taft squad managed to steal the lead in the first frame, 19-18.
The Green Archers opened the second salvo with a quick 5-0 run, which was quickly erased by a Nic Cabañero layup to cap off a 7-0 UST run, 27-23.
Quiambao, who was elbowed hard in the face earlier in the game, drained a left-corner triple to ignite another 5-0 run for the Taft-based squad, 30-27.
The Archers forced a 24-shot clock violation that barred the Tigers from scoring another basket at the end of the first half and allowed them to remain in the lead, 36-30.
Tigers floor general Forthsky Padrigao found his stroke in the third quarter, draining three triples that included a long bomb to cut the deficit to seven, 49-42.
DLSU mounted a 15-point lead that was later reduced to seven after back-to-back triples from Tigers Llemit and Amiel Acido, 59-52. But Big man Mike Phillips powered through inside to halt UST’s momentum, 61-52.
Early in the fourth frame, Padrigao converted a three-pointer to cut DLSU’s lead to 11 points, 69-58. The defending champions, however, made no mistake by whipping out their arrows at the right time en route to a 21-point victory.
Cabañero led the Tigers with 16 points and a couple of steals. Meanwhile, Padrigao dropped 15 points, four triples and five assists.
Five Archers scored in double-digits, with Phillips leading the way with a monster 12-point, 18-rebound double-double. Vhoris Marasigan had 11 markers, while Quiambao, Raven Gonzales and JC Macalalag scored 10 each.
DLSU improved to a 5-1 win-loss record, while UST dropped to 3-2.
The Tigers will aim to bounce back against last season’s runners-up UP Fighting Maroons on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at the same venue. F
