UST refuses to give in despite 0-4 start

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

University of Santo Tomas is embroiled in a misery-filled start in the UAAP basketball season going 0-4 to stay at the bottom of the eight-team ladder.

This is the worst start for the Growling Tigers in more than a decade since they won the big prize back in 2006, and with three games left in the first round—including matches against Ateneo and La Salle—UST is down on its luck.

And although UST dug its own pit, power forward Jeepy Faundo said the Tigers won’t give in.

“Of course, there’s some panic in there but we won’t succumb to the negatives because if we do that we’d just out ourselves down even more,” said Faundo in Filipino Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.

“We will motivate ourselves because once we doubt ourselves that’s when you know you’ll be in a tough spot.”

UST’s latest defeat was a7 frustrating 78-65 loss to Far Eastern University, a game the Growling Tigers allowed to slip away from them after putting up a decent fight in the first half.

The Growling Tigers even led 22-12 at the start of the second quarter and held up until the break with a 36-31 lead.

FEU staged an 18-3 run in the fourth quarter to take a 67-51 lead and that was enough for the Tamaraws to keep the Growling Tigers at bay.

Faundo, who had 16 points and 11 rebounds against the Tamaraws, vowed that UST will come back in the remaining three games of the first round.

“We’ll work even harder in practice and we won’t think about the 0-4 record,” said Faundo. “We’ll push ourselves every day in training.”