INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines?The UST Journalism Society fought its way out of an early 18-point hole?and 80 years of hoop frustration?to hold off Communication Arts, 83-77, recently to clinch the UST AB Unity Cup basketball championship at the Andaluncia Gym in Sampaloc, Manila.

Peter Keylock punched in the go-ahead basket and fellow sophomore Jonno Bales bunched together five straight points as the Scribes forged an 81-77 spread in the final minute en route to the victory, which ended an eight-decade drought for the well-loved Disney squad?owner of the longest losing spell within the historic walls of the University of Santo Tomas.

?It was just a total team effort,? said skipper Red Kanapi. ?There was no one player in the team that contributed and sacrificed more than the other. There are a few who got more minutes or more points. But everyone had something to give and everyone gave everything they had.?

Keylock, who hails from England, played a key role also defensively, putting the lock on Artists top gun Anthony Galongca and holding his AB varsity teammate to just two points in the final frame after watching him explode for 30 in the first three periods.

Bales led the Jeremiah Opiniano-mentored Journ squad with 25 points, including nine in the final quarter, and was named the Finals Most Valuable Player.

?I can?t believe it,? said Bales.

The drought looked like it would stretch another year after Communication Arts burst from the gates and dumped Journalism in a 9-27 hole. But the Scribes showed relentless tenacity, chewing off chunks of the lead until moving to within a point, 40-41, at halftime.

The other members of the team were co-captains Mark Giongco and RJ Bucu, Aldo Avinante, Denison Dalupang, Val Soriao, Xavier Villaluz, Jeric Lopez, Von Panelo, Antonio Chua, rookie John Ballesteros, and junior AJ Bolando.