By: Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Bolstered by the return of their head coach Bo Perasol, the UP Fighting Maroons had high hopes to equalize their season series with the UST Growling Tigers but things didn’t go their way as the Tigers bested them, 84-78, in the 2019 UAAP Season 82 Men’s basketball.
Unfazed by the Maroon-dominated crowd, the Growling Tigers started the game with a three-point shootout, torching UP with treys courtesy of Sherwin Concepcion and Renzo Subido.
Both teams had a scare when Kobe Paras and Mark Nonoy left the hardwood after suffering injuries on separate plays. Nonoy sprained his ankle after landing on the opposing defender’s feet after attempting a shot. Paras suffered a shoulder injury after attempting to dunk the basketball on Chabi Yo of UST.
UP was able to keep up with UST’s pace behind valiant efforts from the Gomez De Liaño brothers and Bright Akhuetie in the middle of the third canto, where they matched UST’s firepower.
The whole final frame went nipping and tucking as both teams showed no signs of giving up, sacrificing their bodies and putting out excellent defensive schemes.
Veteran Brent Paraiso then played the hero for UST as he splashed a trey with 52 seconds left, followed by a Subido dagger three-pointer that iced the game with 26 seconds in the game clock.
