Season hosts, the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, suffered the worst rout in the UAAP in 10 years Wednesday evening at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Prior to La Salle’s 38 point win, the biggest margin of victory in the UAAP was back in Season 69 when the Ateneo Blue Eagles shackled the Growling Tigers en route to a 114-78 win. That batch of Growling Tigers though were able to win it all led by the troika of Jervy Cruz, Jojo Duncil, and Allan Evengelista.
Last Wednesday, UST was able to keep pace with the Green Archers late in the first half. But when the Aldin Ayo-mentored squad turned the Arena into the House of Chaos, the Tigers folded.
“Nag-fold kami nung third quarter. We started flat,” first year UST head coach Boy Sablan rued. “Yung [William] Afoakwah kasi nawala nung third quarter, three fouls na, di ko mailagay. Yun yung energy guy e.”
“Kahit di nakaka-shoot, lumalaban, dumedepensa. Lumalaban, di nga nakakalayo e. Pero pinatay kami ng turnovers namin.”
After being forced to commit 18 turnovers in the first half, things got worse for the cagers from Espana as the Green Archers’ trapping defense suffocated UST. The pressing defense was able to force 22 second half turnovers, 14 in the final frame as the once 34-32 lead inflated to a game-high 100-60 lead after an Aljun Melecio basket with 29 seconds remaining.
For Sablan, the schedule did not favor them either as the hosts faced the UE Red Warriors and the Green Archers, both pressing teams, in just a span of five days.
“Yung preparation namin sa trap, di namin nagawa,” Sablan, who was celebrating his birthday as well, reflected. “Siguro yung past two days na ginawa namin nagtally yung pagod nung bata dahil puro trap e.”
“Darating at darating yung pagod e. May pagod na e.
“Nakita na namin yun. Na-scout naman namin, pero nung third quarter talaga, flat yung start namin,” he furthered. “At the same time, napagod na yung mga bata rin. Kasama rin yun. Very hectic ang sched namin, yun ang naging problema namin.”
“Magkakasunod yung laro namin, dalawa e, masyadong dikit e. Puro trapping team pa kalaban namin na magkasunod.”
Compared to its last game against UE that saw the Growling Tigers commit 31 turnovers but end up as victors, the Growling Tigers did not have the energy and the fire to rally back against the league-leaders according to Sablan.
“Ito di na makahabol. Siguro nga may pagod na nangyayari sa mga bata,” he lamented.
Besides the fatigue factor, the team’s second leading rebounder Jan Macasaet, who is averaging close to eight rebounds a game, was playing hurt said Sablan. With Afoakwah and Macasaet not being able to play their usual game, the frontline of La Salle was able to bully their way to a 59 to 41 rebounding edge and a dominant 26 to zero second chance point advantage.
“Kasi unang una si Macasaet, may sprain na masakit na yung paa kaya di na makarebound, di na kaya nung bata,” the mentor said. “Iba yung rebounding ng La Salle meron pang Baltazar.”
With all these factors, the Growling Tigers ended up on the wrong end of the record books once again. But still, the hosts are hoping for a quick turnaround, just like how their predecessors were able to turn a crushing loss as a motivation to win the UAAP crown.
