THE UE Junior Warriors will live to see another day as they shoot down the resurgent UST Tiger Cubs, 76-70, in Game 2 of the UAAP Season 87 junior’s basketball competition on Sunday, Dec. 15, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
UST, which suffered from early foul troubles, missed the service of winger Nickson Cabañero early in the game after committing a disqualifying foul against UE’s Neil Garcia.
The ejection steered the momentum on the side of the Recto-based squad after Mav Mesina drained a freebie to double on the España squad, 12-6. However, Tiger hotshot Jhon Canapi fueled a personal 8-0 scoring barrage to put his team on top, 14-12.
Back-to-back paint baskets put the Warriors ahead at the end of the first quarter, 21-19.
The Warriors used two triples from Enrico Bungar and Mesina to maintain the lead in the second frame, 38-30. Tiger Cub Dustin Bathan completed an and-1 play to cut the deficit by four points at halftime, 40-36.
UST shifted the tides in the third salvo after Miguel Jubilado nailed two triples to get a three-point advantage, 45-42. Bathan then converted a left-corner triple and a fastbreak layup to keep the lead, 56-53.
With the title on the line, the fourth period tightened up as Jubilado and Canapi drove past the defense of UE to put the game at a 70-all deadlock.
However, Mesina’s four free throws put UE back in the driver’s seat, 72-70. This allowed UE to neutralize UST for the rest of the game.
Despite the loss, Canapi paced the Tiger Cubs with a double-double performance backed by 21 points and 11 rebounds. Jubilado and Bathan added 21 and 20 markers, respectively.
Mesina led the Warriors with 21 points and four rebounds. Garcia added 13 markers and 10 rebounds, while Gab delos Reyes tallied 11 points and 21 boards.
The UAAP has yet to release the schedule for the do-or-die Game 3. F
