UAAP: UST ‘needs to start winning’ as Final Four race heats up

Forth Padrigao and the UST Growling Tigers force overtime against La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Forthsky Padrigao and University of Santo Tomas are now feeling a sense of urgency as the race to the Final Four starts to take shape in the second round of the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.

The Tigers have dropped back-to-back games–including a 94-87 overtime heartbreaker to La Salle on Wednesday–that sent them to a 4-5 record with five games left to play in the elimination round.

As it stands, UST is in fourth place with Adamson just half a game behind at 3-5, and surging FEU starting to catch up at 3-6.

READ: UAAP New UST star Forthsky Padrigao is a point—not points—guard

“It’s not enough that we just fought hard, we’re in the second round now, and just competing isn’t enough anymore. We really need those wins because our goal is the Final Four. I’m happy with the team, but again, we need to start winning,” said Padrigao, who had 15 points, three rebounds, three steals, and two assists, in UST’s gallant stand against the Green Archers.

Padrigao, UST’s newest recruit who has taken the role of leader this season, took the blame for his crucial missed shots that could have stopped La Salle’s winning streak.

After sinking his first free throw to tie the game at 80-all with 24 seconds left, Padrigao missed the second and misfired a pair of potential triples as La Salle got its act together in overtime for the 94-87 win.

UST Growling Tigers guard Forthsky Padrigao in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

“Unfortunately I missed. That’s how it is. I was confident with my first shot when it went in, but I missed the second one, and I think that’s really on me,” said Padrigao whose team fought from 20 points down before Mo Tounkara got ejected down the stretch with a second technical foul.

“I love how we fought throughout this game, down by 20 and then came back. It’s just that the free throw and the last shots didn’t go in. We could have won the game,” he added.

READ: UAAP: UST’s Mo Tounkara vows better self control after ejection

Putting behind the bitter defeat,  Padrigao hopes the Pido Jarencio-led team take in the lessons from the closely-decided game.

“I think it will help our team moving forward because I don’t think we’ve experienced these kinds of situations before,” the UST floor general said.

“La Salle is really tough, with all their players, and it’s a championship team. The way they come together on the court, I think that’s something we hope to learn from them—how they face any adversity and overcome it together as a team.”

Now the Tigers turn to their first-ever UAAP home game when they host the guard’s former school, the Ateneo Blue Eagles, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion on Saturday, where they will likely miss Tounkara after his ejection.

“I think without Mo so it’s gonna be tougher for us and we have two days to prepare so we’re just gonna make the most out of it,” he said.

“For me, just treat it as a normal game. Sometimes, even when it’s our home court, it doesn’t help because we get complacent as a team. But we need to make sure that doesn’t happen when we play Ateneo, because you know Ateneo won its last game against NU. And they’ve had almost a week with no games, so they’re really prepared.”