Tigers roar to Final Four

MANILA, Philippines -- University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers are back in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament Final Four after crushing the Adamson Soaring Falcons, 75-49, Saturday evening at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.

UST dropped a 23-4 bomb in the third quarter to break the game wide open and punch the third ticket to the semifinals, as well as seize the No. 3 seed.

The Tigers ended the eliminations with a 7-7 win-loss slate and pushed Adamson to a must-win situation to salvage their season.

Amiel Acido provided the spark off the bench with 14 points. Nic Cabanero added 13 points, eight rebounds and two assists.

UST was leading by just one, 29-28, at the half after a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Adamson’s Royce Mantua.

A triple by Monty Montebon at the 7:01 mark of the third quarter made it 31-33, but it turned out to be the Falcons’ one and only made field goal in the frame.

UST unleashed a sizzling 19-0 run capped by five straight points by Acido to grab a 52-31 lead with 55.2 seconds remaining in the canto.

The next point of Adamson came on a split from the line by Ced Manzano with 38 ticks left in the quarter. 32-52.

The Falcons were unable to recover, as the Tigers continued pouncing on their prey.

The lead grew to as much as 28 points, 75-47, after a 3-pointer by Kyle Paranada with about 44 seconds left in the game.

It is UST’s first Final Four trip since the Tigers reached the finals in UAAP Season 82.

Tounkara had a massive double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Tigers.

Montebon was the lone Falcon in double figures with 14 markers and three dimes.

UST shot 27-of-68 from the field while keeping Adamson to 16-of-67.

The San Marcelino-based squad dropped to 5-8 in the season behind the fourth-seeded University of the East Red Warriors, who are holding a 6-7 slate.

UE will take on the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons on Wednesday, while Adamson will face the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Saturday. Both games will be played at the same San Juan venue.