The UE Red Warriors banked on Clark Derige’s career game to keep their Final Four hopes alive.
UE came away with a 91-77 win over the UST Growling Tigers earlier today at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum to improve their record to 4-7 with three games left to play. UST, on the other hand, fell to 9-3, but are still at second place in the standings.
UE trails the fourth place DLSU Green Archers and the fifth seed NU Bulldogs in the race for the last semifinal berth. The Green Archers sport a 5-6 slate with three games left to play while the Bulldogs hold a 5-7 card with two matches left on their schedule.
After the match, UE head coach Derrick Pumaren shared, “We have to play with a sense of urgency. We know that we still have a shot at making the Final Four. Maybe force a tie for the last slot.”
He added, “We’re just trying to stay alive and take it one game at a time.”
IN PHOTOS: UE shackles UST, keeps Final Four bid alive
Clark Derige, who came into the game averaging just 4.6 points per game, scored a career-best 26 points and also grabbed six rebounds to lead the Red Warriors to victory. Chris Javier added 13 points and six rebounds, while Paul Varilla and Nick Abanto scored 10 apiece. All 11 players fielded in by Pumaren scored at least a point.
Derige and Abanto combined for 17 points in the fourth quarter as they quenched a UST rally that saw them pull within four points, 70-66, with 4:32 left in the game.
The Red Warriors, however, mounted a rally of their own, closing the game with a 21-7 run over the last four minutes to seal the victory.
UST was led by Karim Abdul who played his best game of the season and finished with 25 points and 15 rebounds. The high scoring duo of Ed Daquioag and Kevin Ferrer struggled against the Red Warriors and finished with just 11 and 10 points, respectively–a far cry from their usual numbers. The duo combined to make just seven of their 26 field goal attempts.
IN PHOTOS: UE shackles UST, keeps Final Four bid alive
The scores:
UE 91: Derige 26, Javier 13, Varilla P. 10, Abanto 10, Batiller 9, Charcos 8, Manalang 6, Palma 4, Gagate 2, Varilla J. 2, Sta Ana 1
UST 77: Abdul 25, Daquioag 11, Ferrer 10, Vigil 9, Lee 9, Lao 6, Sheriff 4, Bonleon 2, Subido 1, Garrido 0
Quarter scores: 20-15, 39-38, 62-52, 91-77
