THE UST Growling Tigers neutralized the FEU Tamaraws, 92-80, to post their best start since 2015 in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
UST now holds a 5-1 slate, tying its lone tormentors, the NU Bulldogs, at the top of the league standings.
Five different Tigers scored in double-digits with Kyle Paranada firing a season-high 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field.
“I’m happy that anyone in our team can score…That’s how deep our team is,” Paranada said postgame.
”In the next game, you don’t know who’s gonna get player of the game… and that’s how good our team is,” he added.
UST opened the game with a 25-21 advantage, with eight points off of FEU’s turnovers.
Things got tighter in the second salvo as Tamaraw Luke Felipe hit a three-pointer to tie the game 43-all.
FEU had back-to-back buckets before Forthsky Padrigao drilled a triple to cut UST’s deficit to one heading into the second half, 47-46.
Tamaraw star sophomore Janrey Pasaol started to heat up in the third quarter, scoring nine points to give his team a 58-52 lead.
The España squad then went on a 13-4 run, topped by a bucket inside from Nigerian student-athlete Collins Akowe, for a 63-62 lead before the final frame.
Tamaraw guard Jorick Bautista had three triples early in the fourth, but the Tigers hung around as Paranada and Nic Cabañero took turns scoring the ball, 82-78.
With three minutes left on the clock, Tiger forward Gelo Crisostomo drilled back-to-back wide-open treys to put away the Morayta-based squad.
Cabañero and Crisostomo scored 14 points apiece for UST. Akowe contributed 12 markers and 11 boards, while Forthsky Padrigao added 12.
Pasaol paced FEU with 22 points and eight assists, while Mo Konateh had 19 markers and 11 rebounds.
The Tigers will look to close Round 1 on a high note when they face the Adamson Soaring Falcons on Saturday, Oct. 18. F
