INQUIRER Sports

IN A BATTLE of two traditional heavyweights, University of Santo Tomas bucked its low preseason rating by claiming the scalp of University of the East, 92-88, to gain a share of second place Saturday in the UAAP men?s basketball tournament at the PhilSports Arena.

National developmental team standout Dylan Ababou unloaded 18 of his day-best 28 points in the fourth quarter to help the Tigers snare their third win in four outings.

?Ababou is a given, he?s really special to this team,? said coach Pido Jarencio after the Tigers scored their first win over the Warriors since the semifinals of the 2006 season when the Tigers claimed the last of their 18 league titles.

Although given very little chance to make it to the Final Four, the Tigers have so far shown fiery forms in keeping up with tournament favorite Far Eastern U, which turned in its best effort this season in blasting National University, 82-57.

?This is the first time that I saw the potential of the team,? said FEU coach Glenn Capacio, adding that the Tamaraws? 20 assists highlighted the team effort that helped them post the most lopsided victory so far.

?We weren?t playing that good in the first three games, so I kept telling them that we have to share the ball and positive things will happen.?

Rookie guard RR Garcia, a former national youth team member, led the Tamaraws to their third straight victory with 20 points on top of seven rebounds and five assists.

Ababou shot seven points in a 11-2 spurt that gave the Tigers an 84-79 advantage with 48 seconds left after trailing at 73-77.

Chris Camus, who posted a double-double of 12 points and 14 boards, cushioned the Tigers? lead with back-to-back baskets for an 88-81 edge in the closing seconds.

The Warriors slipped to 2-2 after drawing only six points from star swingman Paul Lee, who missed all 12 attempts from the field against the UST defense while the Bulldogs skidded to their third straight loss for a 1-3 slate.

Earlier, the UP Lady Maroons, last season?s runner-up, tripped the UST Tigresses, 55-49, for a share of second place at 2-1 in the women?s competition.

The Ateneo Lady Eagles also improved to 2-1 by hammering out a 50-35 rout of the NU Lady Bulldogs.

Over at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan, the La Salle Zobel Junior Archers remained unbeaten in four games following an 86-36 thrashing of the UP Junior Maroons.

Defending champion Ateneo and last season?s runner-up FEU remained tied at fourth place with a 2-2 record after the Blue Eaglets routed the UE Junior Warriors, 101-68, and the Baby Tamaraws repulsed the Bullpups, 76-54.

The varsity scores:

First Game
FEU 82?Garcia 20, Cawaling 14, Barroca 13, Noundou 10, Ramos 8, Sanga 6, Pereabras 2, Manalo 2, Exciminiano 2, Eguilos 2, Cervantes 2, Tanuan 1, Vinluan 0, Knuttel 0, Guerrero 0, Caluag 0.
NU 57?Hermosisima 15, Singh 13, Cabaluna 7, Balora 7, Ponferrada 5, Batac 4, Roy 3, Terso 2, Malanday 1, Tungcul 0, Manito 0, Luy 0, Donahue 0.
Quarters: 22-12, 42-25, 61-43, 82-57
Second Game

UST 92?Ababou 28, Mirza 20, Camus 12, Teng 11, Maliksi 11, Bautista 7, Fortuna 2, Afuang 1, Mariano 0, Green 0, Aytona 0.
UE 88?Llagas 17, Zamar 16, Acuña 12, Lingganay 9, Espiritu 8, Ayala 7, Reyes 6, Lee 6, Duran 4, Bandaying 3, Sumido 0, Alabanza 0.
Quarters: 24-24, 47-36, 65-71, 92-88