Tigers mess up Warriors’ semis bid

After being booted out of the Final Four, Santo Tomas bowed out in style yesterday as it tripped University of the East, 76-72, and dampened the Warriors’ semis hopes in the 77th UAAP men’s basketball tournament at the Ateneo Gym.

Niño Gelig delivered the crucial baskets down the stretch as the Tigers, who won four straight titles starting in 1993, closed out their 2001 campaign with a 6-8 slate while dealing the Warriors their seventh loss against the same number of victories.

It was the first time that the Tigers failed to reach the Final Four since the format patterned after the US NCAA was introduced in 1994. The year before that, Santo Tomas nailed the first of its four straight crowns via a 14-game sweep of the elims.

Despite the loss, UE, however, remained in the hunt for the fourth and last slot to the semis. Far Eastern University and National University, tied at 7-6, square off today at the Araneta Coliseum with the winner clinching the third semis berth. The loser meets UE in a knockout match on Thursday.

Despite the importance of the game between the Tamaraws and the Bulldogs, still expected to draw the crowd to the Big Dome is the highly-awaited bout between La Salle and Ateneo, both assured of the top two slots and the twice-to-beat edge in the semis.

Like Santo Tomas, University of the Philippines ended its campaign on a bright note with a lopsided 79-59 win over Adamson in the first game. The Maroons ended tied with the Tigers at 6-8 while the Falcons failed to notch a single victory for the second straight year.