Playing unfazed despite embarrassing losses in the second round, University of Santo Tomas (UST) proved that it is not on a slump after repulsing league-leaders Far Eastern University (FEU), 85-76, Saturday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum and delaying the latter’s bid for a twice-to-beat slot.
Karim Abdul played yet another splendid game and Kevin Ferrer made damage from the outside as the Growling Tigers went on attack mode in the third quarter to stymie their tentative foes from Morayta as UST surged to a 69-59 lead—a far cry from the 17-30 deficit they faced in the first quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Mario Bonleon and Louie Vigil took over the scoring cudgels, stepping up for the fallen Ferrer who got sidelined due to palpitation.
Bonleon, finishing with a season-best 13 points, scored a triple for UST’s biggest lead at 78-65 and sank the insurance jumper in the lat two minutes for an 83-76 lead.
“My game was just pure luck. This is called a scandal of grace,” Bonleon said after the game.
It seemed though that the Tamaraws was out to a walk in the park after opening the game at 8-0. Roger Pogoy and Al Francis Tamsi were instrumental with their long bombs while Mike Tolomia and Mac Belo played their usual a-game with attack to the basket.
Ferrer though was unstoppable in the third quarter, throwing catch-and-shoot triples and playing an impenetrable defense against Belo. His sidekick Ed Daquioag helped by sucking in FEU’s defense, opening opportunities for his teammates.
Abdul, meanwhile, was splendid in all four quarters, taking the much taller Prince Orizu to school with his pump fakes and left-handed drives.
“It’s all heart, man. I don’t want to be in a situation where we get a playoff for the twice-to-beat,” the graduating center, who led his team with 23 points, said.
Ferrer, who reportedly had a high caffeine intake before the game, scored 21 points before going out in the tailend of the third quarter due to palpitations. All is well for him though as he returned to the game late in the fourth quarter.
Bonleon and Vigil added 13 points while Daquioag scored a modest 11 points for the 10-3 Growling Tigers.
The Tamaraws, led by Tolomia (17 points) and Tamsi (15) points, absorbed its second defeatl, all against UST, in Season 78.
The Growling Tigers will play its final game on November 11 against the ousted Adamson Falcons while the 10-2 Tamaraws is in a much delicate situations with games against the La Salle Green Archers and National University Bulldogs next week.
Both teams though are assured of the twice-to-beat advantage if they win at least one of their remaining games.
