UP MBT Game # 6 -
August 15, 2012 (Araneta Coliseum)
The UP Fighting
Maroons tried going toe-to-toe with the UST Growling Tigers for most of the game but ended up losing
their sixth straight, 68-58, in the 75th season of the UAAP Men's
Basketball Tournament.
Karim Abdul showcased
all-around brilliance except for some unforced turnovers that were by-products
of his overly aggressive play for the whole game. He finished with 20 points,
12 rebounds, two assists and two blocks in leading UST to it's first ever
five-game winning streak in the Pido Jarencio era.
Adding to UP's misfortunes
is the fact that the other previously winless team, University of the East,
barged into the win column earlier in the day via win over the Alex Nuyles-less
Adamson University.
UP started the game
with a familiar fab five that started against Ateneo with Henry Asilum at
pointguard, Mark Lopez and Alvin Padilla at the wings and Raul Soyud and Chris
Ball manning the paint. The result was different one though.
UP started slow and
wasn't that efficient offensively. They had three bad passes that resulted to
fastbreak opportunities for UST, luckily Mike Silungan was able to deny two of
the three. Still, the Maroons were within striking distance as they ended the
first quarter down by just one, 16-15. Asilum led the way with six points (both
on three pointers) while the Tigers were bannered by Kim Lo's six markers as
well.
It was a different
story for UP in the second quarter though as they came out of their huddle all
fired up unleashing a 9-2 run that had them leading 24-18 after an Alinko Mbah
fastbreak score. UST's first field goal of the period came at the 6:15 mark when
Tata Bautista converted on a breakaway lay-up.
The Tigers were able
to claw back in the game and tie it at 26-all after Jeric Fortuna drove to the
basket against Lopez. It got crazy after both teams both made 4-0 mini-runs and
the score standing at 30-all with 1:30 left. Asilum and Bautista then figured
in a "what you can do I can do better" sequence hitting threes
against each other pegging the count at 33-all at the half. Rookie Asilum led
UP at the half with nine points, on three treys.
Both teams'
performance for the first half were almost identical as UST posted a 39%
field goal percentage while UP converted 38%. The Tigers were 9/10 from the
line, while UP was 4/4. UP had the advantage (surprisingly) in the points in
the paint 18-12. Their assist totals
were also equal at eight.
It was a slug-it-out
third quarter with Louie Vigil hitting back-to-back baskets for a 37-33 lead
early in the third. At around three minutes left in the quarter, the scored was
tied again after Melo Afuang hit a freethrow at 43-all. The Tigers unleashed a
7-2 run to end the third, 50-45, with UST's last basket coming off a Julius
Wong turnover.
UP, true to its
fighting monicker, fought back again in the fourth quarter courtesy of
Silungan's twin triples. They were even at the thick of things trailing just
55-54 with around four minutes left. However,
Abdul and Bautista conspired on a 7-0 run to seal UP's fate, 62-54 with
1:17 remaining in the game. Bautista sealed the scoring at 68-58 with an
uncalled for buzzer beater.
After the game, the
UST coaching staff were all smiles as they believe they pulled off the win
despite a lackluster performance. Jarencio was also wary of how dangerous this
UP team is and was happy to continue their winning ways.
UP on the other hand
was overpowered in the paint at the second half after fighting gallantly in the
first. Abdul and his crew were practically lording the boards over the hapless Maroons.
Silungan and Lopez
led the way for State U with 10 points apiece. Bautista played second fiddle to
Abdul with 12 markers.
The Tigers look to
finish the first round at the top of the standings as they tangle with the
Falcons on Sunday. The Maroons will try to win one to end their first round
campaign against the Red Warriors on the same playdate.
Notes:
Vigil was a makeshift
starter again with Jeric Teng (UST) still resting his strained MCL
Mike Gamboa (UP) was
inactive because he was recovering from flu
Aljon Mariano, Bautista and
Kevin Ferrer all came off the bench for UST (Fortuna, Lo, Vigil, Afuang and Abdul
were the starters).
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