UAAP: UST Tigers show they’re more than the sum of their wins

UST Growling Tigers point guard Forthsky Padrigao, left, and forward Christian Manaytay during a game against FEU in UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

For someone leading a squad that has a shot at owning the third-best mark in the league, Forthsky Padrigao thinks the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers are playing even better than their record in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.

“[Our record] can be [better],” Padrigao told a few journalists who tailed him as he walked out of the postgame presser on Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena.

Padrigao was coming off a 14-point, 11-assist performance, his best so far in the black-and-gold jersey, as he led the Tigers to an 83-72 beatdown of Far Eastern University (FEU).

SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 basketball

It was the fourth win in seven games for UST and, if Adamson hijacks University of the East’s (UE) winning run on Sunday, the Tigers will share the third-best record in the league.

They won with the kind of performance that hints at their potential: UST made just 39 percent of its field goals (FGs), but that’s a little over two points above the league rate (36.7). And the Tigers also assisted on 18 of their 33 FGs while committing only seven turnovers.

The problem? The Tigers aren’t consistently performing that way.

READ: UAAP: Mo Tounkara keeps word, helps UST get back on track

They showed glimpses of that against league-leader University of the Philippines and defending champion La Salle early before bowing to the Maroons (81-70) and the Archers (88-67). UST’s other loss came against Adamson, 69-56.

“[S]ometimes when you’re dealing with a new team, the level of maturity is not yet high like the top teams [in the league],” Padrigao said, referencing the newly constructed UST roster this season.

Matching double-doubles

“I guess that’s one of the things that we need to address come the second round … But then, like [against] UP, it’s not just the team … I had seven assists but [had seven] turnovers as well, so I need to work on that,” Padrigao said.

UST wasted a 2-0 start to the season by dropping three of its next four games. Shooting has been a problem and, against FEU, it almost did the Tigers in.

READ: UAAP: UST Tigers–no longer sporting buzz cuts–are buzzing

But the Tigers finally found the bottom of the net in the second half, especially Padrigao and big man Mo Tounkara, who matched Padrigao’s double-double with 21 points and 17 rebounds.

“In my first three games I had bad percentages, my rhythm wasn’t there, but then I am letting the game come to me,” Padrigao said. “Distributing is really a part of me already [while] in terms of scoring I do my reps as well. It’s just that in the first three games my shots were not connecting.

“Thankfully, I am nailing those now and I hope it continues. It’s not a change but rather I am having the opportunity to shoot … [because] our system and our movements allow scoring opportunities,” he added.

And now it’s off to the second round, where the race to the Final Four will heat up.

“[W]e really needed this win for our second-round momentum, with the likes of UE and Adamson also shooting for Final Four seats,” Padrigao said. “We’re just trying to focus on the things that we can control.”

The Tigers can start by showing up like they did against the Tamaraws a little more often. INQ