UNIVERSITY of the Philippines, as expected, is right where it wants to be, locking up a top two spot in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament and just a Final Four victory away from its fourth straight Finals appearance.
But standing in its way is a University of Santo Tomas squad that is on the rise and is back in the postseason for the first time in five years.
READ: Pido wants to write new story with Final Four-bound UST
Odds, without question, favor the Fighting Maroons as they swept both of their elimination meetings against the Growling Tigers.
But history actually favors the black-and-gold as they emerged victorious in the two times that they met the maroon-and-green in the Final Four.
Everybody still remembers Renzo Subido’s iconic shot that steered UST to the UAAP Season 82 Finals, the school’s last taste of championship air.
Do you remember who he shot that three over?
Yes, that was Bright Akhuetie as UP, despite being the no. 2-seed, squandered its twice-to-beat advantage to fall in the stepladder semis.
But that was a loaded Growling Tigers squad, we should note.
From Season MVP Soulemane Chabi Yo, Rookie of the Year Mark Nonoy, to role players in Subido, Rhenz Abando, CJ Cansino, Brent Paraiso, and Sherwin Concepcion, coach Aldin Ayo just had the Espana side jumping for joy after they overcame the odds and took down the Fighting Maroons.
Yet it really shouldn’t come as a surprise.
State U, then-coached by Bo Perasol and despite parading a solid core anchored on Akhuetie, Mythical Team member Kobe Paras, Ricci Rivero, Jun Manzo, and brothers Juan and Javi Gomez de Liano, went winless against UST in the eliminations.
The 89-69 Game One blowout may have been a harbinger of things to come, and Subido’s three only capped off the thrilling 68-65 Game Two win for the Thomasians over the Iskos as they progressed to the championship date against unbeaten Ateneo.
The Growling Tigers would finish as that season’s runner-up.
The other instance that the Church and State met in the postseason would take a little more digging.
UST, in the midst of its dynastic run in the 1990s, was shooting for that four-peat in UAAP Season 59 back in 1996.
With the legendary Aric del Rosario still calling the shots, the Growling Tigers claimed the no. 2-seed behind the leadership of Chris Cantonjos, Estong Ballesteros, and Gerard Francisco, as well as the efforts of Henry Ong, Richard Melencio, Dale Singson and Richard Yee.
They drew no. 3 UP in the Final Four, then a promising crop parading the likes of Paolo Mendoza, Ogie Gumatay, Jonathan Serrano, Benny Victoria, and Bryan Gahol under young coach Eric Altamirano.
As was the case in seasons past, UST were just a little too experienced, fending off UP, 63-56, to capitalize on its twice-to-beat advantage and book its place in the finals, where it swept top-seed La Salle to claim the crown.
There’s actually a third time that these teams faced off with heavy implications, albeit in a fourth place playoff.
That was in UAAP Season 61 in 1998 when UST and UP, together with University of the East, finished with identical 7-7 win-loss records, but the Red Warriors got the superior quotient to claim the no. 3 spot.
UST, still leaning on Francisco, Singson, and Yee, also flaunted rookies Cyrus Baguio, Nino Gelig, and sophomores Gilbert Lao, Emmerson Oreta, and Marvin Ortiguerra, turned back the Mendoza-led UP, 80-72, in that clash to earn the right to face top-seed and eventual champion La Salle in the semifinals.
So, can this upstart UST squad of coach Pido Jarencio led by Nic Cabanero, Forthsky Padrigao, and Mo Tounkara continue to own UP’s number?
READ: In trying times, UP turns to vaunted JD-Gerry backcourt
Or will JD Cagulangan, Francis Lopez, and Quentin Millora-Brown aid coach Goldwin Monteverde in finally turning the tides in favor of the Fighting Maroons against this pesky Growling Tigers?
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
