UST extends losing drought to 12, falters to FEU’s defensive tactics
By Anton Villegas
The UST Growling Tigers extended their losing streak to 12 games in the UAAP Season 85 men’s basketball tournament with a 15-point loss against the FEU Tamaraws,77–62, Saturday afternoon, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
With the Tigers’ lone win dating back to Oct. 1, the Tamaraws destroyed UST’s offensive tactics, being able to force 24 turnovers and registering 16 steals in the game.
UST played without their sophomore star in Nic Cabanero due to a right ankle sprain from their previous loss against the top-seeded UP Fighting Maroons..
With the University’s offense becoming stagnant without their star guard, Ivan Lazarte tried to come up as the missing piece to the puzzle with 13 points in the game.
Adama Faye also had a decent game of his own, compensating for his shortcomings on offense by grabbing 18 boards for the game.
FEU guard Lj Gonzales got the best of UST in the early minutes of the game, scoring eight of FEU’s first ten points and registering two steals in the first three minutes of the game. He finished the game with 15 points, four boards, and four dimes.
In the opening salvo, the Growling Tigers stayed intact with FEU as they created a 6–0 run midway through the first period but six turnovers piled up. In return, the Tamaraws created their own noise with a 9–1 run, finishing the quarter creating a seven-point cushion for the pride of Morayta, 17–24.
The second quarter did not make much difference as UST created an early 8–3 run credited to Echo Laure’s insertion and Garing’s energy as they were responsible for five of those relevant eight points to cut the lead to two points, 25–27.
Same as the first period, FEU responded with their composure, drawing the right fouls and draining the right jumpers with Monard Sangcuya hitting from downtown, 33–40.
FEU silenced the Growling Tigers in the third period as they once again responded to an early promising 10–2 run from UST that gave the Tigers a one-point lead thanks to Laure’s jumper from deep, 43–42.
The Tamaraws hustled their way back to the lead as they gave their own 14–2 run with Patrick Sleat taking charge, capping off the blast with a one-legged buzzer beater to create a double-digit separation for FEU, 45–56.
FEU responded by slowing their pace up in the fourth and converting 21 points in the process.
UST was outmatched by the FEU’s bench mob of 33 points, compared to the Tigers’ 19.
The UST Growling Tigers will be playing their season finale on Wednesday, at the same venue, facing the De La Salle Green Archers, aiming to finish the season with a win that will break their 12-game drought.
Both the Tigers and Tamaraws are out of the Final Four contention.
The Scores:
FEU (77) — Gonzales 15, Sajonia 11, Torres 10, Sleat 9, Sandagon 8, Alforque 7, Tchuente 7, Bautista 3, Gravera 3, Songcuya 2, Anonuevo 2, Celzo 0, Tempra 0, Ona 0, Bagunu 0, Guiabao 0.
UST (62) — Lazarte 13, Manaytay 10, Faye 10, Garing 9, Laure 7, Manalang 5, Pangilinan 5, Duremdes 3, Duremdes 0, Escubido 0, Mantua 0, Herrera 0.
Quarter Scores: 17–24, 33–40, 45–56, 62–77.
