THE THIRD-SEEDED UST Growling Tigers closed the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball elimination round with a narrow 81-79 loss to the FEU Tamaraws on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Despite the loss, the Tigers enter the Final Four with an 8-6 slate — their best record since Season 82 in 2019.
Fending off a late Tigers’ rally, the Tamaraws also spoiled Gelo Crisostomo’s career-high effort, as the UST big man dropped 28 points, along with six boards and six stocks.
“We started slow, we need to learn from this in our next game in the Final Four,” UST foreign student-athlete Collins Akowe told The Flame after chalking up nine points and nine rebounds.
FEU found its groove early, as a putback layup from Mo Konateh gave his team an early 14-8 edge to end the opening frame.
The Tigers’ dry spell remained in the second salvo, as Luke Felipe’s three capped a 17-1 run for the Tamaraws, 31-11
Inside baskets from Crisostomo and Ivanne Calum were not enough as UST still trailed 46-25 entering halftime.
Crisostomo put the España squad back in the fight to open the second half, scoring 10 straight points to shave his team’s deficit down to 46-35.
The Morayta cagers retaliated, as Kirby Mongcopa and Jorick Bautista’s threes kept their team at bay entering the final quarter, 63-48.
UST attempted one final push to open the fourth frame as consecutive layups from Crisostomo and Nic Cabañero forced an FEU timeout, 73-61.
Late game heroics from Cabañero and Mark Llemit were not enough as Bautista’s free throw capped off the win for the Tamaraws, 81-79
Cabañero finished his last UAAP elimination game with 17 points and six rebounds, while co-captain Forthsky Padrigao struggled with two markers, eight assists and five steals.
Meanwhile, Bautista and Konateh steered FEU with 15 points apiece to keep their team’s Final Four hopes alive.
The Tigers now find themselves locked in at the third seed, prompting a Final Four rematch against the reigning champions UP Fighting Maroons. F
