The UST Growling Tigers are back in the running for the Final Four — and possibly the title — after winning their second straight game.
The UST Growling Tigers are back in business with their title aspirations in UAAP Season 88 after they mounted their second straight victory, this time downing the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 67-59, in their second round encounter at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.
In a crucial matchup of Final Four contenders, UST tightened their hold on the No. 4 spot, improving to 7-5 with two games remaining in their elimination round schedule.
[READ: UST nips Ateneo to cling to solo fourth in UAAP men’s standings]
But it wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies for the Growling Tigers — far from it.
After a promising 5-1 start to the season, UST had to buck the odds when it lost four straight games abridging the first and second rounds.
For Gelo Crisostomo, who was key in UST’s win over Ateneo with his two-way play, said that it was taking things one game at a time that helped the Growling Tigers get to where they are now.
“First of all, always naman nasasabi ng mga coaches namin na itong natitira pang games namin is kailangan lang talaga namin manalo kung gusto lang talaga namin makapasok ng Final Four,” he said.
The determination was apparent in the game against Ateneo, where they needed to fend off multiple comeback attempts from the Blue Eagles, who were riding the coattails of Kymani Ladi into the fourth quarter, where he helped keep them afloat.
Back to their core
More than their mindset, Crisostomo said that it was also a matter getting themselves back on their feet mentally, especially as the losing skid did knock some of the wind under UST’s wing.
Having to reassess themselves after going down to 5-5 and their Final Four aspirations in danger, Crisostomo said that they needed to tap into who they were as Growling Tigers — something that has helped them push through in recent games.
“Siguro yung identity na [sino] kami sa team,” Crisostomo said of the team’s biggest learnings during the four-game losing slump.
“'Yung nga, nung natalo kami ng four straight losses, so parang gigil na kami agad bumawi. So yun, hopefully [naman] nanalo naman kami.”
Still, the job is far from over for Crisostomo and company. He finished with 10 points, nine rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks in the big win over Ateneo, but he will need to get things going in their last few assignments as well.
Collins Akowe continues to be the centerpiece of UST’s offense with a double-double of 15 points and 16 boards.
Ladi paced Ateneo in the losing effort with 14 markers.
UST returns to action on Sunday, November 23, against the NU Bulldogs for their penultimate match of the elimination round.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.