UST prevails over DLSU in double OT thriller

MANILA, Philippines – All eyes were on brothers Jeric and Jeron Teng at the Mall of Asia Arena as the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers (UST) faced off with De La Salle University Green Archers (DLSU) on Saturday, August 4.

Despite DLSU’s Jeron outscoring his older brother Jeric, 17-9, UST came away with the victory.

The Tigers dealt the Green Archers their third straight loss of the season, with a 84-82 win in double overtime.

Close fight

“Naka-tsamba na naman kam (We got lucky again),” said UST head coach Pido Jarencio in jest the moment he entered the media room. But the win was a result of much more than just luck.

The Green Archers took control of the pace early on, giving the Growling Tigers problems in the paint.

Despite the Tigers’ troubles however, the Green Archers were not able to pull away, ending the quarter with a 2 point lead, 17-15.

But then UST’s Clark Bautista opened the second quarter with a 3, giving his team the lead for the first time. This time, it was the Archers who found themselves flustered after the Tigers increased the tempo of the game.

After a corner jumper by Joshua Webb, the Taft-based squad found themselves scoreless for over 2 minutes.

The dry spell wouldn’t last long. After a jumper by guard LA Revilla, the Green Archers went on a 10-2 blitz with baskets from Yutien Andrada, Arnold Van Opstal, and Webb, to give La Salle a 29-24 advantage with 3:16 left in the half.

The hard-fighting Tigers would not let go, giving La Salle a humble 1-pt lead at halftime.

In the second half, both teams came out of their dugouts ready to play.

Both teams exchanged baskets in the opening minutes of the 3rd until the Archers found themselves at the receiving end of a 12-3 run thanks to a free-throw and a fastbreak from Ferrer and back-to-back 3s from Bautista, putting UST up by 10, 49-39.

Despite valiant efforts from Webb, La Salle ended the quarter with an 8-point deficit. UST scored 27 points in the third compared to La Salle’s 18.

Intense end

The fourth quarter saw the two teams trading barbs, and also gave fans the Teng showdown they had been waiting for.

The older Jeric Teng failed to score against his younger brother halfway through the quarter, but made up for it with a big 3-pointer over Jeron Teng, 3 minutes left in the fourth.

The basket gave UST the lead, 69-66. Jeron later returned the favor by stealing the ball on Jeric’s watch. The younger Teng split his charities–a persisting problem for the blue-chip rookie.

La Salle outscored the Tigers 23-15 in the fourth quarter, but that wasn’t enough to seal them the win.

After both Revilla and Jeron split their charities, UST’s Aljon Mariano scored on an undergoal stab to put the game at 71 all, with only 9 seconds left.

A failed last-second shot from Revilla put the game into overtime.

UST saw the light midway through the first extra period, leading 76-73. But Jeric Teng’s hangtime move and assist put the score at 78 all with 1:36 left.

Another drive by Mariano put UST ahead, but Norbert Torres’ power move to the basket tied the game at 80. Failures by both teams to convert set the foundation for another extra period.

A careless foul by Kevin Ferrer on Jeron Teng saw him leaving the game in the beggining of the second overtime. Teng, however, failed to capitalize on his trip to the free-throw line. 

After a Revilla jumper that put La Salle up by 2 early in the period, both teams were scoreless up until the last minute of the game.

Mariano tied the game once again with a drive, giving UST a go at a win with 45 seconds left.

Abdul’s block on Revilla’s jumper gave the ball back to UST, and Mariano answered with another big shot to put UST up by 2 with only 7 seconds left in the game.

La Salle later contested Abdul’s block, but officials called it clear. With less than a second left in the game, the UST Growling Tigers were already celebrating.

Never give up

“Yung hindi bibigay hanging sa dulo (We didn’t give up until the end),” Jarencio later said of his team’s spirit. Jarencio also played down the Teng face-off by telling Jeric to just focus on the task at hand.

“Treat him as an ordinary player,” Jarencio told him.

Bautista led the Tigers with 21 points to his name, followed by Abdul with 16 points and 6 rebounds, and Mariano with 15. Jeric Fortuna also took good care of the ball, ending the game with 8 points and 7 assists.

La Salle, on the other hand, was paced by Revilla’s 19 points, Jeron Teng’s 17 points and 12 rebounds, Andrada’s 16 markers, and Webb’s 13 points.

UST, 84 – Bautista 21, Abdul 16, Mariano 15, Teng 9, Fortuna 8, Afuang 8, Ferrer 5, Pe 2, Lo 0, Daquioang 0
DLSU, 84 – Revilla 19, Teng 17, Andrada 16, Webb 13, N. Torres 7, Manguera 6, Van Opstal 2, Tallo 2, T. Torres 0, Dela Paz o

Quarter Scores: 15-17, 29-30, 56-48, 71-71, 80-80, 84-82 – Rappler.com