By MARK REY MONTEJO
University of Santo Tomas continued its giant-killing ways with a fourth-quarter surge to take down De La Salle University, 93-84, in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, Sept. 27.
Aside from improving their record to 2-0, the Growling Tigers snapped a 16-game losing streak against the Green Archers as well as marking their first victory over the Taft-based squad in a 10 years or since Season 78.
Tied at 74-all, rookie Collins Akowe looked like a veteran down the stretch as he anchored UST, alongside Nic Cabañero, Amiel Acido, Kyle Paranda, and Forthsky Padrigao, in a 14-3 spurt for a 93-82 lead which they protected to prevail, tying Ateneo and NU.
Akowe chalked another double-double performance a with 20 points and 19 rebounds, while Cabañero, who led the team’s scorching, had 27 points. Padrigao, for his part, collected 12 points, nine assists, three rebounds, and three steals.
Acido and Paranada conspired for 22 points as UST now shared a similar 2-0 card with Ateneo and National University in the standings.
La Salle, on the other hand, slipped to 1-1.
Jacob Cortez uncorked 17 points, while Earl Abadam had 11 points. Mike Phillips listed a quiet eight points with 15 rebounds which all went down the drain for the Taft-based squad..
The Green Archers went to Lebron Daep, Kean Baclaan, and Cortez in the first half before Padrigao led the fight for the Tigers to keep themselves within striking distance.
La Salle regained its bearing and ballooned its lead to 12, 68-58, midway of the third quarter, UST got the energy it needed for a big push in the aftermath of a highly physical stretch sparked by a screen play which involved Paranada and La Salle’s Gian Gomez and Kean Baclaan.
That resulted to Paranada receiving an unportsmanlike foul (category 1), while Baclaan was called for a technical.
After several possessions, the Tigers stole the driver’s seat after Paranada sank his freebie off another unsportsmanlike call against Vhoris Marasigan that made it 77-76 with 8:14 remaining on the fourth.
Paranada and Acido, who also faced his former Perpetual Junior Altas teammate Daep, put the game away after drilling a floater and a triple for an 84-79 count with five minutes left.
UST took advantage of a lethargic night for Phillips and his crew by pulling away further thanks to Padrigao, who returning from a one-game suspension, and Akowe as they showed the way for the Pido Jarencio-mentored squad.
The Scores:
UST (93) – Cabañero 27, Akowe 20, Acido 13, Padrigao 12, Paranada 9, Crisostomo 5, Llemit 3, Danting 2, Laure 2, Calum 0, Bucsit 0, Estacio 0.
DLSU (84) – Cortez 17, Abadam 11, Baclaan 9, Amos 9, Marasigan 9, Phillips 8, Dungo 6, Pablo 4, Gollena 4, Gomez 4, Daep 3, Nwankwo 0.
Quarterscores: 22-27, 45-49, 72-74, 93-84
