Andwele Cabanero’s third-quarter explosion propelled University of Santo Tomas to an 87-82 victory over De La Salle-Zobel, allowing them to advance to the UAAP Season 86 Junior High School Boys’ Basketball Final Four on Wednesday at Amoranto Arena in Quezon City.
Andwele, the younger brother of third-year Growling Tiger Nic, caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 16 of his 34 points during a rally that turned a 54-51 lead into a 70-58 cushion entering the final frame.
The 14-year-old Cebuano guard went 6-of-7 from the field in the quarter, including a halfcourt buzzer-beating trey to end the rally.
(C) Julius Domondon/UAAP Season 86 Media Team
“Si Andwele, talagang tiwala ako sa batang ito. Magaling talaga. Talent-wise, sobrang tiwala ako dito pero kailangan pang i-guide,” said Under-16 Tiger Cubs head coach Andy Mejos.
“Nagpapasalamat ako talaga sa mga coaches sa tiwala na binigay nila sa akin,” said the soft-spoken Cabanero, who also recorded seven rebounds, four assists, three steals, and a block.
UST will now face top-seed National University Nazareth School (5-1) in the knockout semifinals on Sunday at 1:00 PM, still at the same venue.
In the other bracket, Far Eastern University-Diliman (5-1) and University of the East (4-2) will square off.
The Bullpups defeated the Tiger Cubs in their elimination round encounter, 87-82, last April 7.
“Eto yung opportunity na binigay sa amin ngayon. Alam nating malakas yung NU (Nazareth School). Skills-wise, tanggap namin na kulang kami kumpara sa kanila pero gagawin namin ang lahat na makuha yung win para sa UST,” said Mejos.
The Junior Archers of Penny Laureaga though made a huge endgame rally to give the Tiger Cubs a scare.
(C) Julius Domondon/UAAP Season 86 Media Team
Behind the duo of Ken Atienza and Kyean Gubat, DLSZ sliced the lead down to three, 83-80, with 15.5 ticks remaining.
Time, though, was not on the side of the Junior Archers. Kiyam Dela Cruz’s two clutch free throws sealed the win for the Tiger Cubs.
“Pinaghandaan talaga namin ito. Kasi nung una, akala namin out na kami,” said Mejos.
This under-16 demonstration event initially did not have a playoff for ties before the league’s Board of Managing Directors decided to implement its regular rules later on.
“Nung binigyan kami ng isa pang chance, sinabi ko sa players na lubusin na natin ito. Maging composed kayo,” he added.
Lorenz Cinco, who fouled out late in the game, supported Cabanero with 16 points.
Dela Cruz chipped in 12 points and eight rebounds, while big man Sean Bohol got 10 rebounds, nine points, and two blocks.
Atienza, a 6-foot-2 forward from Lipa, Batangas, tallied a monster double-double for fifth-place DLSZ with 29 points and 22 rebounds.
Gubat got 14 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in the loss.
Junior Archers main man Melvin Tailan – who was averaging 21.2 points per game in the elimination round – was held down to just eight points on 2-of-16 shooting from the field.
The Scores:
UST 87 – Cabanero 34, Cinco 16, Dela Cruz 12, Bohol 9, Guerrero 6, Bathan 5, Knowles 5, De Castro 0, Sy 0, Castro 0.
DLSZ 82 – Atienza 29, Gubat 14, Magan 11, Cruz 9, Tailan 8, Dimayuga 7, Reyes 4, Callanta 0, Trillo 0, Almazan 0.
Quarterscores: 23-19, 48-39, 70-58, 87-82.
