Tiger Cubs force decider vs Bullpups

MANILA, Philippines — One more game. 

The University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs forced a winner-take-all Game 3 in the UAAP Season 87 boys’ basketball tournament after outlasting the National University Bullpups, 89-85, Thursday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan. 

UST survived a scare late in the fourth quarter after losing a 15-point lead but hit timely shots to grab the must-win Game 2. 

Koji Buenaflor powered the Tiger Cubs with 24 points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Charles Esteban and Carl Manding added 16 and 15 points, respectively. 

After leading by as much as 15 points, 43-28, in the second quarter despite seeing big man Racine Kane play just two minutes in the first half, the Tiger Cubs saw their lead slowly crumble. 

The lead was sliced to just one, 77-78, with 5:14 remaining after a triple by Miguel Palanca. 

But back-to-back-to-back 3-pointers by Manding and Esteban pushed UST’s lead back to 10, 87-77, with 2:36 left. 

The Bullpups then made a final push, cutting the lead to two anew, 85-87, after a triple by Mac Alfanta with 18.8 seconds remaining.

But a pair of free throws by Buenaflor kept NU at bay, 89-85, with 12.7 seconds to go.

Late shots by NU would not drop, as the clock expired.

Kirk Canete finished with 13 points for UST while Charles Bucsit had nine. Kane tallied five points, three rebounds and two assists in 12 minutes of play. 

Collins Akowe took advantage of Kane’s limited minutes and scored 28 points to go with 26 rebounds, three blocks and two assists. He made 14 of his 20 free throw attempts. 

Alfanta and Palanca recorded 17 and 15 points, respectively. 

“Credits sa boys, nakita naman na hindi sila nag-panic kahit dumikit, they stayed composed. Nagtiwala sila sa isa’t isa, they played defense well nung huli, talagang trinabaho nila para mabuhay pa yung championship aspirations namin,” Tiger Cubs head coach Manu Inigo said.

The winner-take-all Game 3 will be held on Thursday, 12 p.m. at the same venue.