UST escapes UE behind Ed Daquioag’s career game

University of the East would’ve needed to put multiple defenders on University of Santo Tomas’ Ed Daquioag just to stop him on Wednesday. Daquioag erupted for a career-high 34 points. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Ed Daquioag played the best game of his collegiate career and University of Santo Tomas escaped University of the East, 83-76, to remain at the apex in the UAAP Season 78 men’s basketball tournament Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Daquioag had a game fit for the silver screen, unleashing a career-high 34 points on 14-of-23 shooting from the field, to carry the Growling Tigers to their sixth win in seven games at the end of the first round of eliminations.

With their lead down to two from a high of 16 with under a minute left, the Tigers leaned on Daquioag and the graduating guard delivered, drawing a foul and making a free throw before spinning his way to a tough layup for a 76-71 UST cushion with 43.3 seconds left.

“I’m not surprised with the performance of Ed,” said UST head coach Bong dela Cruz. “It’s been that way since the preseason. It’s natural [for him].”

“We just played inspired basketball,” said Daquioag, who also collected four rebounds and six assists, of his play.

Paul Varilla also had a career-best 25 points for the Red Warriors, who rallied by forcing turnovers and through second chance points, have now lost their fourth game in a row to dropped to 2-5.

“It happens. You will commit turnovers when UE gets that press going,” Dela Cruz said on the Red Warriors’ comeback.

UE’s relentless full-court press forced most of UST’s 21 turnovers, often coming in bunches in the second half.

But with a veteran lineup, the Tigers’ experience showed late amid the Warriors’ rally. After Daquioag’s circus layup, Louie Vigil converted a three-point play that stretched the lead to eight, 79-71, with 29.1 ticks to go.

Vigil and Kevin Ferrer added 14 points apiece while Karim Abdul just missed a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds with one block to boot.

Von Batiller, who has been a revelation for UE, was shut down for the second consecutive time. He scored just five points on 2-of-10 shooting after being held to only two points on 0-of-9 shooting in a loss to De La Salle University 10 days ago.