Nic Cabañero and Collins Akowe deliver for UST as the Tigers snap an almost decade-long losing skid to La Salle for a 2-0 start in UAAP Season 88

MANILA, Philippines – For the first time in almost a decade, the UST Growling Tigers finally prevailed over the La Salle Green Archers following a nail-biting 93-84 come-from-behind win in the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament at the Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, September 27.

UST put an end to a 16-game losing skid to La Salle dating back to Season 78, where the then Kevin Ferrer-led Growling Tigers defeated Jeron Teng and the Green Archers, 81-79, way back on October 11, 2015.

Heroes were aplenty for UST in the gutsy comeback win as four players scored in double figures, with graduating team captain Nic Cabañero erupting for a game-high 27 points on 11-of-20 shooting. 

Rookie foreign student-athlete Collins Akowe — who dazzled in his debut for the Growling Tigers in their 87-67 beating of the UP Fighting Maroons in the opening weekend — came alive late in the contest and racked up another monster double-double of 20 points and 19 rebounds after putting together 29 and 17 in the previous game.

Sophomore forward Amiel Acido backstopped Cabañero and Akowe with 13 points, while senior guard Forthsky Padrigao tallied 12 markers, 3 boards, 9 assists, and 3 steals in his season debut after serving a one-game suspension against the defending champion Fighting Maroons.

With the victory, UST got off to its first 2-0 start since Season 82 in 2019, while La Salle dropped to a 1-1 slate.

“The toughest part of the game was when we were down by [12], but you could see that last year’s UST isn’t the same as this year’s team,” said UST assistant coach Peter Martin.

“We’re a lot more confident in this game.”

With the Green Archers threatening to pull away with its biggest lead of the game at 12 points at the 4:44 mark of the third period, 68-56, the Growling Tigers showed why they’re one of the early-season favorites, ending the quarter on a furious 16-6 blast to pull within striking distance entering the final frame, 72-74.

It was a back-and-forth battle between the two contenders early in the fourth, and with the score tied at 79-all after a corner triple by La Salle’s Vhoris Marasigan, UST’s Kyle Paranada spearheaded a crucial 6-0 Growling Tigers rally to create some separation from the Green Archers with 4:03 remaining, 85-79.

A pull-up three-pointer by Doy Dungo at the 3:20 mark got the Green Archers back within one possession, 82-85, before Akowe took over with two huge baskets late as the Growling Tigers finished the game on an 8-2 run.

“My coaches and teammates [encouraged me at halftime]. Echo (Laure) said the first half is done, we need you in the second half, we need you to be aggressive,” said Akowe.

Jacob Cortez topscored for the Green Archers with 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting, while Earl Abadam poured in 11 markers.

Marasigan, Mason Amos, and Kean Baclaan added 9 points each, while do-it-all La Salle big man Mike Phillips had 8 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 assists in the sorry loss.

The Scores

UST 93 – Cabañero 27, Akowe 20, Acido 13, Padrigao 12, Paranada 9, Crisostomo 5, Llemit 3, Danting 2, Laure 2, Calum 0, Bucsit 0, Estacio 0.

DLSU 84 – Cortez 17, Abadam 11, Baclaan 9, Amos 9, Marasigan 9, Phillips 8, Dungo 6, Pablo 4, Gollena 4, Gomez 4, Daep 3, Nwankwo 0.

Quarters: 22-27, 45-49, 72-74, 93-84.

– Rappler.com