BY Gwen Bergado
UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas staked claim to solo second in the UAAP Season 87 boys' basketball tournament, but not before having to fend off a furious fightback from Far Eastern University-Diliman.
The Tiger Cubs needed all of Racine Kane's brilliance and Carl Manding's breakout to survive the late-charging Baby Tamarwas, 80-72, Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Kane posted his sixth straight double-double built on a game-high 23 points to go with 11 rebounds, as Manding turned in his strongest showing with 17 markers and nine boards of his own.
Behind those two, the Tiger Cubs clawed their way to a sixth win in a row following a season-opening loss - placing themselves right behind league-leading and undefeated NU-Nazareth School.
“To be honest, ‘yun ‘yung goal namin eh, yung mapunta sa top two sa first round,” said a smiling head coach Manu Iñigo.
UST's Senegalese beanpole fired 14 points in the first half to allow the black-and-gold to lead by as much as 20, 44-24, early in the third quarter.
The Baby Tamaraws, however, kept coming and rode Cabs Cabonilas and Liam Salangsang to as close as six, 72-78, with 18 seconds left in the game.
They even had more chances in the dying moments, as Kane and Charles Bucsit split their charities, but Salangsang missed the mark with his couple of threes.
“Alam namin right from the start na hindi magiging madali. Swerte lang kami nagkaroon kami ng malaking lamang right from the start,” said Iñigo.
Marc Burgos topped the scoring column for FEU-Diliman with 16 points and 10 boards, as Cabonilas also scattered 16 markers and nine boards and Salangsang had 12 points, seven rebounds, and four assists.
The Baby Tamaraws finished the first round in third-place with a 5-2 record.
UE forges three-way tie for No. 4
Meanwhile, University of the East arrested its three-game skid, while keeping De La Salle Zobel reeling with a 56-51 decision.
Ethan Aguas delivered the goods when it mattered most, dropping all but four of his 16 points in the final frame to shoot the Jr. Warriors back into the win column at 3-4.
Lance Sabroso provided back-up with 10 markers of his own, as the red-and-white defense dared the Jr. Archers to beat them through just Kieffer Alas. The Gilas Pilipinas Youth standout did his best with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists, but his teammates were stymied to 9-of-36 shooting from the field.
DLSZ fell for the third time in a row to find itself in a logjam for the fourth spot with UE and defending champion Adamson.
The Scores:
Second Game
UE 56 - Aguas 16, Sabroso 10, Alejandro 7, Almanza 6, Bual 5, Lagat 5, Lorenzo 3, Bana 2, Timbol 2, Diaz 0, Chua 0.
DLSZ 51 - Alas 22, Daja 9, Espinosa 6, Dabao 5, Arejola 4, Borrero 3, Favis 2, Mben 0, Atienza 0, Tailan 0, Reguera 0, Alpapara 0.
Quarters: 14-8, 26-22, 36-37, 56-51.
Fourth Game
FEU-DILIMAN 72 - Cabonilas 16, Burgos 16, Salangsang 12, Gemao 10, De Guzman 7, Gadoy 5, Pascual 2, Hall 2, Castillejos 2, Raneses 0, Esperanza 0, Santos 0, Maierhofer 0
UST 80 - Kane 23, Manding 17, Canete 8, Buenaflor 8, Bucsit 7, Acido 7, Solon 5, Esteban 2, Vidanes 2, Ludovice 1, Bandingan 0
Quarters: 24-9, 42-24, 65-48, 81-72
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