Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 12) – The University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers utilized a second half scoring blitz to snap their three-game losing streak at the expense of the still winless University of the East Red Warriors, 72-61, in UAAP Season 84 at the Mall of Asia Arena on Tuesday.
Two Growling Tigers finished with double-double performances with Sherwin Concepcion notching 17 points and 11 rebounds and Arnold Ando coming up with 16 markers and 12 boards.
The Red Warriors established a 21-11 lead early in the first quarter with Kyle Paranada firing some buckets against a slow UST defense.
The Growling Tigers started to fix their game in the second canto with Concepcion taking the lead in offense and tightening up their defense against UE to outscore the Recto-based dribblers in quarter points, 17-9.
The Jino Manansala-helmed Growling Tigers mounted a huge offensive stand in the third quarter to finish with a total of 26 points – outhustling the still aggressive Red Warriors.
In the final period, UST managed to exert an all-around game with Nic Cabanero asserting his might in the frontcourt as they forced UE to shoot low percentage shots.
Concepcion converted a triple in the last 35.3 seconds to tally UST’s biggest lead of the match at 11 points.
Paranada logged 17 points for UE, which dropped to drop to 0-8.
Kris Pagsanjan – who headed the Red Warriors’ offense in the second half – contributed 16 markers and nine rebounds.
The Scores:
UST 72 – Concepcion 17, Ando 16, Cabanero 11, Manalang 9, Fontanilla 7, Manaytay 6, M. Pangilinan 3, Mantua 3, Samudio 0, Herrera 0, Canoy 0, Gomez de Liano 0, Gesalem 0.
UE 61 – K. Paranada 17, Pagsanjan 16, Antiporda 6, Sawat 6, J. Cruz 5, Beltran 4, Lorenzana 3, Escamis 2, N. Paranada 2, Tulabut 0, Catacutan 0, Villanueva 0, P. Cruz 0, Abatayo 0.
Quarterscores: 11-21, 28-30, 51-54, 72-61.
UST (3-5) will face De La Salle University on April 19 at 12:30 p.m. while UE (0-8) hopes to get a win at the expense of unbeaten Ateneo De Manila University in the next game at 4:30 p.m.
