Cruz, a 20-year-old rookie transferee from Nampicuan, Nueva Ecija, powered his way to a career-high 27 points and came away with 18 rebounds, including a season best 11 on the offensive end to help lift the Tigers to their first finals appearance since 1999.
Jun Cortez, whose endgame heroics keyed UST’s 79-75 win last Sunday that forced the sudden death for the No. 2 berth, fired a triple to spark a crucial 10-2 run that gave UST an 82-79 lead, an advantage the Warriors cut to just one on Rob Labagala’s driving lay-up with 38 seconds to go in the contest.
UST blew its last attempt but two misses by Jonel Canizares — the last a tip-in of his own miss — at the buzzer foiled UE’s bid to clinch the win and barge into the finals for the first time in 16 years.
"What can I say, we’re here in the finals," said UST coach Pido Jarencio, whose wards’ amazing run to the finals underscored the team’s never-say-die spirit and big fighting heart.
UST guns for its first crown in exactly a decade on Sunday’s start of its best-of-three title showdown with Ateneo, the first to advance to the championship following a 76-73 win over Adamson, also last Sunday.
The Warriors did miss the services of the prolific Custodio, who was suspended by team officials.
Carmelita Mateo, team manager and UE executive vice president, said the suspension slapped on Custodio was for "disciplinary measures based on infraction on certain team rules."
Mateo, however, didn’t clarify.
There were reports, however, that team officials questioned Custodio’s performance in the first game Sunday.
Although Custodio, who transferred from Polytechnic University of the Philippines last year, fired 17 points in the contest, he turned the ball over seven times, particularly in crucial plays in the second half.
Custodio and the UE coaching staff under Dindo Pumaren were reportedly informed of the decision early yesterday. Custodio left the venue as soon as he learned of the verdict.
After trailing most of the way, the Warriors slowly inched their way back and then seized a 77-72 lead with over three minutes remaining in the game thanks to the troika of Labagala and second stringers Narciso Llagas and Fradzmir Bandaying.
Led by Cruz, the Tigers posted leads of as many as 14 points in the second quarter, the last at 33-19.
But the Warriors clawed back behind the duo of Marcy Arellano and Kelvin Gregorio to go into the break with just a 38-43 deficit.
Anthony Espiritu set the pace for the Tigers early by churning out eight points in the first quarter including six from behind the arc.
Earlier, Far Eastern U shocked Ateneo de Manila, 67-55, to inch closer to clinching its first-ever UAAP juniors crown.
In women’s play, University of Santo Tomas leaned on a late triple by Neri Noscal as it edged FEU, 52-49, to likewise gain a 1-0 edge in their own best-of-three showdown.