UST’S Karim Abdul (right) barrels into De La Salle’s Thomas Torres. RODEL ROTONI
UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas nipped La Salle in double overtime even as Ateneo expectedly surged to the lead after its coach picked up a career-best win No. 100 yesterday at Mall of Asia Arena.
Aljon Mariano carried the Tigers in every crucial stretch to lift UST past La Salle, 84-82, while the defending champion Blue Eagles blasted the winless University of the East Warriors, 68-51, and moved on top of the UAAP basketball tournament.
The Blue Eagles’ fifth triumph in six games gave coach Norman Black—nicknamed as “Mr. 100 percent” while playing as an import in the PBA—his 100th win in eight seasons with Ateneo.
“It’s a pretty good accomplishment but I’d rather have the championship this year,” said Black, who now holds a remarkable 100-26 win-loss career record with the four-time champions.
Mariano knocked in all of Tigers’ four points in the second overtime, including the game-winning jumper from the left corner with 7.1 seconds left.
The 6-foot-3 forward also forged the first overtime, 71-71, by nailing a tough undergoal stab with 9.7 ticks remaining, then later scored all but two of the Tigers’ nine points in the first extension that ended at 80-all.
“The attitude that I really taught my players was to never give up,” said coach Pido Jarencio after his Tigers climbed to solo third at 3-1.
Mariano–proving to be this season’s revelation for the Tigers–only scored two points in the first three quarters before finishing with 15 markers.
Karim Abdul also came out huge in the endgame, blocking two La Salle shots in the closing seconds, the last on Yutien Andrada’s attempt to extend the game anew.
The Cameroonian center wound up with 16 points and 16 rebounds.
Fueling the Tigers’ strong start was Clark Bautista, who unloaded 18 of his game-high 21 markers from three-point range built on a 7-of-11 clip from the field.
LA Revilla, who led La Salle with 19 points, could have won the game for the Archers in regulation, but officials ruled that his floater failed to beat the buzzer.
The scores:
First Game
UST 84—Bautista 21, Abdul 16, Mariano 15, Teng 9, Fortuna 8, Afuang 8, Ferrer 5, Pe 2, Lo 0, Daquioag 0.
LA SALLE 82—Revilla 19, Teng 17, Andrada 16, Webb 13, Torres 7, Manguera 6, Van Opstal 2, Tallo 2, Torres 0, Dela Paz 0.
Quarters: 15-17, 29-30, 56-48, 71-71 (reg), 80-80 (1OT), 84-82 (2OT)
Second Game
ATENEO 68—Slaughter 14, Ravena 12, Gonzaga 9, Tiongson 7, Buenafe 6, Sumalinog 2, Pessumal 2, Golla 2, Erram 2, Elorde 2, Capacio 2, Chua 1, Porter 0, Lim 0, Babilonia 0.
UE 51—Javier 16, Galanza 12, Sumang 10, Hernandez 6, Sumido 5, Belleza 2, Alberto 0, Villarias 0, Valdez 0, Santos 0, Razon 0, Olayon 0, Mena 0, Flores 0, Duran 0, Duncil 0.
Quarters: 19-18, 37-34, 54-39, 68-51