University of Santo Tomas trounced De La Salle-Zobel, 75-62, for its third straight win and rise to a share of second in the UAAP Season 86 High School Boys’ Basketball Tournament on Wednesday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Five Tiger Cubs scored in double-digits led by Doy Dungo with 13 points along with 13 points, six rebounds, five assists, a steal, and a block.
“Masaya kami kasi nakatatlong sunod kami na panalo pero hindi pa rin kami satisfied kasi ang dami pa rin naming lapses talaga pati yung chemistry namin kapag lumalamang kami minsan nag-iiba yung mindset. Kailangan pa namin pagtrabahuhan talaga,” said head coach first year Tiger Cubs head coach Manu Iñigo as UST improved to 3-1 for joint-second with National University Nazareth School.
The Junior Archers pulled within one after a three-pointer by Kieffer Alas midway through the third period but Charles Bucsit, Kurt Velasquez, Koji Buenaflor, and Joaquin Ludovice responded to establish a 13-point Tiger Cubs lead, 54-41, that they never relinquished the rest of the way.
Buenaflor added 12 points and eight rebounds for the streaking UST, while Carl Manding chipped in 11 points and eight boards as well.
JB Lim also impressed with 10 points, eight steals, seven rebounds, and three steals, while Ludovice chimed in with 10 points.
Alas, who came off a triple-double performance against UPIS last Sunday, unloaded 27 points for DLSZ with 19 coming in the second half. He also grabbed 11 rebounds, dished out three assists, and recorded three steals against five turnovers.
Maco Dabao also delivered 16 points for the Junior Archers but went just 6-of-23 from the field.
In the other game, defending champion Far Eastern University-Diliman needed the heroics of Cabs Cabonillas to withstand the gallant stand of University of the Philippines Integrated School, 84-82.
Cabonillas received a pass inside the paint from Liam Salangsang, shooting the game-winning layup with 3.2 seconds left. Rocco Melicor almost ended the Junior Fighting Maroons’ 16-game skid with a half-court shot that hit the rim but bounced out.
“Yung 2-2 record feeling ko deserved namin the way kami maglaro. Kailangan lang din namin ng konting adjustment sa next game and hats off din sa UPIS, they played well,” said FEU-D coach Allan Albano as they improved to joint-fourth with DLSZ.
UPIS even took the lead with 1:04 remaining on a Daryl Valdeavilla layup off a cut, 82-80, before Veejay Pre equalized in the next play with 1:00 to go.
However, two turnovers doomed the Jr. Fighting Maroons. In the next sequence, Melicor’s pass to Valdeavilla was read by the Baby Tamaraws, forcing the ball out of bounds with UPIS having the last touch.
FEU-D failed to convert three chances on the other end then came the next and costliest error of UPIS. Valdeavilla was stripped by Jedric Daa with 11 seconds to go leading to the game-winner.
Albano fielded all of his 16 players led by Stephen Cabigting’s 16 points, Cabonillas’ 14 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, and Omar Gordon’s 13 points.
On the other hand, UPIS coach Paolo Hernandez stuck with six players the entire game with Bruce Tubongbanua, Valdeavilla, and Jaime Gomez de Liaño playing 40 minutes.
Tubongbanua finished with 23 points and six rebounds, Valdeavilla had 20 points and eight assists, Melicor added 18 points, and Gomez de Liaño got 10.
The Scores:
First Game
FEU-D 84 – Cabigting 16, Cabonilas 14, Gordon 13, Godoy 7, Mecha 7, Pre 7, Miller 6, Daa 4, Miranda 4, Salangsang 2, Pascual 2, Gemao 2, De Guzman 0, Castillejos 0, Burgos 0, Herbito 0.
UPIS 82 – Tubongbanua 23, Valdeavilla 20, Melicor 18, Gomez de Liaño 10, Egea 8, Hernandez 3.
Quarterscores: 22-19, 46-39, 63-63, 84-82
Second Game
UST 75 – Dungo 13, Buenaflor 12, Manding 11, Lim 10, Ludovice 10, Bucsit 7, Ronquillo 6, Verzosa 4, Velasquez 2, Reyes 0, Esteban 0, Loreto 0, Vidanes 0, Ferrer 0, Kaw 0.
DLSZ 62 – Alas 27, Dabao 16, Daja 7, Dimaano 6, Espina 4, Pabellano 2, Manganaan 0, Gubat 0, Atienza 0, Favis 0, Arboleda 0, Cruz 0, Sta. Maria 0, Domangcas 0.
Quarterscores: 19-16, 39-33, 54-47, 75-62
