By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
After a long time, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers finally halted its losing skid against the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) Blue Eagles in the UAAP Men’s Basketball Tournament.
It was already encircled.
September 11, 2024.
Marching to the matchup with a heavy baggage of heartbreak and disappointment, the Growling Tigers displayed its retooled form as they out-maneuvered the Blue Eagles, 74-64, in the ongoing UAAP Season 87 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
With the huge victory, UST officially ended its 17-game losing streak against Ateneo and improved to an undefeated 2-0 win-loss record to start Season 87 on a high note.
However, it wasn’t an easy path to redemption for the Growling Tigers after the Blue Eagles established its footing early in the game courtesy of a waxing hot Joshua Lazaro.
Lazaro, Ateneo’s senior swingman, was hitting shots at will against the UST perimeter defense and gave them more headache in the second quarter when he piled up his points from his aggressive drives to the basket.
His consistent scoring display backstopped by Ateneo’s disciplined basketball helped them build a narrow four-point lead early in the final quarter.
Just when Ateneo thought they still had UST’s numbers, the Growling Tigers fought back in the most crucial stretch of the fourth and stunned the Blue Eagles with a momentum-shifting 16-0 run en route to a 72-60 advantage with only two minutes remaining in the game.
That three-minute span became Ateneo’s worst nightmare as they let their lead slip away while allowing UST to steal the momentum they briefly had in the game.
The star duo of Nic Cabañero and Forthsky Padrigao stepped up when the Growling Tigers needed them the most, taking over in the clutch to repel the Blue Eagles in the fourth.
Cabañero provided the energy plays during their 16-0 run, muscling his way inside for several buckets in the shaded lane.
Meanwhile, Padrigao regained his shooting touch from the three-point territory and sent a clutch trifecta that pushed UST’s lead to 10 points.
After the 16-0 run, the Blue Eagles failed to recover and went flat on the offensive end, paving the way for the Growling Tigers to take over the game for their second straight UAAP win.
Foreign Student Athlete Mo Tounkara top-scored for the UST side, dropping a double-double performance of 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Cabañero chipped in 11 markers while Padrigao, despite the shooting struggles, orchestrated the UST offense to perfection with a game-high nine assists alongside three rebounds.
On the other hand, Lazaro’s 18-point performance was spoiled by the Growling Tigers, as well as Shawn Tuano’s 13-point outing.
