UST, La Salle keep UP, AdU in cellar

Games today (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

2 p.m. – NU vs UE

4 p.m. – FEU vs AdMU

MANILA, Philippines - Santo Tomas bucked another lethargic start and leaned on a lethal 20-0 salvo in the fourth quarter to post a 73-57 win over University of the Philippines in the UAAP Season 77 men’s basketball tourney yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

A week after dodging a bullet in a 50-49 squeaker over Adamson, the Tigers struggled against the upset-conscious Fighting Maroons but eventually got going in the later stages en route to their third straight win and 3-1 overall.

The Tigers joined idle Ateneo and Far Eastern U at second spot behind National U’s 4-1 while the Maroons, who led by as many as 11 in the second quarter, dropped to 0-5, absorbing their 26th consecutive loss since Season 75.

Injury-hit defending champion La Salle also streaked to its third straight win, clobbering Adamson, 67-48, for a 3-2 card. 

Kib Montalbo rifled in 18 points, grabbed five rebounds and issued four assists while rookie Prince Rivero shot 12 markers plus six boards for the Archers, who played without big men Norbert Torres (sprained ankle) and Arnold van Opstal (Achilles) in addition to guard Thomas Torres (foot).

The Tigers patiently clawed their way back in from a 24-35 deficit and kept launching their long-range bombs until they finally hit their target in the crucial stretch to secure what should have been a routine victory for the veteran team.

“Siguro iyong shooting namin noong first three quarters hindi lang nagki-click. Tyanaga lang namin (Our shooting didn’t click in the first three quarters and we just perserved). We practiced hard on shooting before the game and it paid off in the fourth,” said UST coach Bong dela Cruz.

The Maroons held a slim 54-53 lead at the start of the fourth before the Tigers unleashed 20 unanswered points spiked by three triples and two perimeter jumpers that turned the tables around.

Louie Vigil dished out a breakout game of 17 markers laced by three treys plus four rebounds and three steals to backstop Karim Abdul’s 18-point, eight-board effort. 

“We needed a scorer aside from Abdul so   Louie stepped up today,” said dela Cruz, who wasn’t at all surprised with the heads-up play of Vigil, playing after a one-year absence. 

“Actually during the summer pa lang, sa Fr. Martin Cup, sinabihan  ko na siya na isa siya sa magiging scorers namin this season (Even in the Fr. Martin Cup summer league, I was already conditioning Vigil to be a scorer).”

Dave Moralde (15), JR Gallarza (10) and Henry Asilum (10) led UP in scoring.