CHICAGO - After La Salle mowed down UE on Saturday, 77-68, to remind everyone that they're still king of the UAAP hill, it was UP's turn to prove that they are the No. 1 contender to the throne.
Against a rebuilt and suddenly surging UST, the Maroons were tested through three quarters before going away with flying colors with a dominant 24-11 fourth quarter finish.
UP 83. UST 73.
Don't let that 10-point differential fool you. This game was beautifully played, one that saw six ties and eight lead changes, 18 made threes combined, and a couple of highlight dunks by UP's LeBron Lopez.
The main difference?
UP leaned on its experience in the payoff period. After a Forthsky Padrigao 3 bolted UST to a 65-61 lead, the Maroons responded with a 16-2 run in the span of 4 minutes and 16 seconds to essentially put the game away, 77-67, with 4:09 left.
UP FIGHT. UP MIGHT.
Look, teams manufacture runs. But the Maroons did theirs under pressure, relying on good defense and an even better shot election.
In the welter of UP's assault, the 3-point shooting that the Tigers had weaponized early on, deserted them and they began hurrying shots that broadcast analyst and four-time UAAP champion coach Norman Black described as "aren't the best."
As an aside, Black is a terrific commentator. He doesn't overtalk or get too excitable. Listening to him felt like being in the passenger seat of an Uber with a driver who's not too chatty but purposeful in a way that he will take you where you're going.
But I digress.
What coach Norman meant was that the Tigers resorted to too many isolation plays and were just "yanking" 3s which departed from the community play that had given them a 62-59 lead at the end of the third quarter.
UST IS A FINAL FOUR TEAM.
The Tigers are clearly a Final Four team but to reach the level of La Salle and UP they need a little more seasoning. Losses such as tonight's pierces their soul but later in the tournament it could also be an instrument to muster their toughness.
Lopez led UP with 20 points and 7 boards but it was Terrence Fortea who stole the show off the bench by scoring 9 of his 16 points in the fourth stanza while going 4-of-5 from long distance.
UP shot a high 54.2 percent from the field (32-of-59) and 42.9 percent from three (9-of-21).
Mo Tounkara paced UST with 24 points and 9 rebounds while Nic Cabanero and Christian Manaytay combined for 29.
But the Tigers converted only 27 of 77 field goals (35.1 percent) and 9-of-35 from three (25.7 percent).
Most of their errant shooting happened in the last eight minutes, sealing their doom.
With Adamson, NU, UE and UST all taking Ls, the last 2 Final Four spots are a free-for-all.
But make no mistake, Season 87 will come down to UP and DLSU as the top seeds.
No doubt about it.
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