Tigers topple Eagles, gain 4th semis seat

MANILA, Philippines - Last year, Ateneo scored a five-peat at University of Santo Tomas’ expense. Yesterday, the Tigers got back by ousting the Blue Eagles from the Final Four and ending their reign.

Showing the bigger heart in an emotion-filled win-or-go-home matchup, the Tigers hacked out an 82-74 triumph to beat the Eagles for the last remaining berth in the Final Four of the UAAP Season 76 men’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“It’s all about heart and pride,” said coach Pido Jarencio, whose wards closed out their elims stint with 8-6 for fourth spot.

The Eagles, who played without suspended coach Bo Perasol, wound up with an even 7-7 card, seeing their five-year dynasty – as well as their 14 consecutive Final Four qualification – come to a crushing end. 

Ateneo edged University of the East for fifth. The Warriors earlier held off the University of the Phils. Maroons, 76-73, to likewise finish at 7-7.

With the vengeful win, UST arranged a semis duel with top seed National U on Sunday. The Bulldogs enjoy twice-to-beat advantage in this faceoff as No. 1.

La Salle and FEU dispute the No. 2 slot and the other final berth in a virtual best-of-three affair.

“Para ito sa aming sixth man, ang UST community na grabe ang suporta today. Kahit paano, may chance kami makabalik ng finals. Alam ko medyo mahirap, No. 1 ang kalaban pero pagdating naman ng Final Four ibang usapan na yan (This is for the whole UST community. At least now we have a chance of making it back to the finals. It won’t be easy going up against the No. 1 team but the Final Four is already a different stage),” said Jarencio.

The Tigers seized double-digit leads that reached as high as 18 (37-19 in the second period). But the Eagles clawed their way back in the second half and even threatened at 74-77 with still 29.2 seconds left. 

UST skipper Jeric Teng, however, stood up and delivered the coup de grace, making five of his six charities down the stretch to preserve the victory.

“He’s back, our leader is back,” Jarencio said of fifth-year veteran Teng, who finished with 17 points and nine rebounds to backstop Karim Abdul’s 25.

“It could have been my last game, and I wouldn’t want that to happen,” said Teng, who missed some games for UST due to shoulder and hamstring injuries.

It was sweet revenge for the Tigers, whose title bid was frustrated by the Eagles in 2012.

“Actually wala naman sa akin yung bumawi, basta laban lang kami. Pero syempre, masarap ang pakiramdam. Tinalo nila kami sa championship last year and then this year, in-out namin sila sa Final Four. It’s about time na magpalit, mag-iba naman ang champion (Actually, it wasn’t really about getting revenge but just fighting for that last berth. But the feeling is good because they beat us for the title last year and then we ousted them from the Final Four this year. Maybe it’s time fortunes change and a new champion is crowned),” said Jarencio.

Kiefer Ravena fired 20 points while Chris Newsome added 13 for ADMU, which failed to extend the UAAP careers of Frank Golla, Juami Tiongson, JP Erram and Ryan Buenafe to at least one more game.

Earlier, UE blew a nine-point lead but countered with an 8-1 run in the last 1:53 to salvage a three-point win over UP and end its season on a winning note.

Graduating players Lord Casajeros and Adrian Santos provided the endgame heroics as the Warriors fought back from a 70-73 deficit to finish their campaign with two straight wins and 7-7 overall.

The Maroons wound up with a 0-14 card, repeating their winless seasons in 2010, 2007, and 2004.

Casajeros hit a booming trey that knotted the count then fed off Santos for a dagger basket that practically sealed it for the Roi Sumang-less Warriors, who placed sixth overall.

“We were one game away from a playoff (for the Final Four), two away from the Final Four,” said UE coach Boycie Zamar.

“We were hurt by the suspensions of (Charles) Mammie, (Ralf) Olivares, and Casajeros (during the course of the second round); we saw just how important they are to the team,” added Zamar.

Mammie paced UE with 21 points and 18 rebounds. Casajeros shot 17 in his last game in the UAAP while fellow graduating Olivares added 12.

Samuel Marata fired 22 points while Raul Soyud had 15 markers and as many rebounds in their final appearances for UP.