Tigers escape Archers with 73-72 Game 1 win

MANILA, Philippines - University of Santo Tomas mustered enough endgame poise and neutralized a potential La Salle squeaker with a crucial defensive stop to escape with a 73-72 Game 1 win in the finals of the

Kevin Ferrer pumped in 20 points on a 5-of-8 shooting clip to lead the Tigers, who moved one win away from a 19th championship after a nip-and-tuck affair.

“It’s just the breaks of the game,” said UST coach Pido Jarencio at a post-game interview.

The Archers had the chance to steal the win but Karim Abdul blocked LA Revilla's potential game-clinching lay-up, leading to a scramble as time expired.

Jeric Teng finished with 17 points and 7 assists to back the Espana-based cagers, who have a chance to wrap up the series on Saturday.